Do you notice your heating system keeps turning on and off? If so, the furnace is probably short cycling. This can lead to poor indoor comfort and an increase in your heating expenses. Keep reading to learn what to do if the furnace is short cycling in your Stuart, Florida, home.
What Is Short Cycling?
Short cycling occurs when the furnace frequently turns on and off. Cycling on and off like this can lead to unnecessary wear and tear on the heating system. This hinders the life span of the furnace and increases the likelihood of repairs.
Causes of Furnace Short Cycling
The underlying cause of short cycling can come in many forms. Much of the time, short cycling is the result of an oversized furnace, meaning it’s too big for your home. It will heat your home quickly and then cycle off after only a few minutes. When your house heats up fast like this, the indoor temperature rapidly decreases once the furnace kicks off. It’s a never-ending cycle of the furnace turning on and off to keep the home at your desired temperature.
A dirty filter can also cause short cycling by restricting airflow. This causes the furnace to run inefficiently. It will cycle on and off in an attempt to maintain the temperature indicated on the thermostat.
Another common culprit of short cycling is a faulty thermostat. The thermostat’s job is to communicate your home’s temperature with the furnace. A faulty thermostat doesn’t communicate the actual temperature. As a result, the furnace will cycle on and off thinking it needs to keep heating your home. In all actuality, though, the furnace has reached your desired temperature.
How to Fix a Furnace That’s Short Cycling
Preventive maintenance is key to making sure the furnace can run efficiently without short cycling. Changing the filter any time it’s dirty will also help. Grimes Heating & Air Conditioning specializes in a variety of furnace installation, repair, and maintenance services. Contact us today at (772) 800-6416 to learn more about furnace short cycling and what you can do about it.
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