What is Furnace Short Cycling?
Furnace short cycling often indicates that there’s a serious problem with your home’s heating system.
Your home’s furnace should turn off and on at regular intervals in order to reach the desired temperature set on your thermostat. Furnace short cycling refers to a system malfunction where the system will turn on for only a few seconds and then turn off again, only to repeat this process over and over. This will not allow for your home to ever reach the desired temperature and means that there’s something that needs fixing in the furnace system.
The potential causes for furnace short cycling are:
Dirty Air Filters
A dirty air filter could be causing your furnace to short cycle due not enough airflow. Furnace air filters should be replaced monthly for one inch thick filters or once every six months for thick media filters. Using the wrong filter could also cause short cycling. One inch pleated filters are often too constraining for most furnaces.
Dirty Air Conditioner Coils
Right above your furnace unit is an air conditioner coil that absorbs heat from the air. If this air conditioner coil gets dirty, is filled with debris or dust, then the airflow becomes restricted, which will cause your furnace to short cycle. This air conditioner coil should be cleaned to remove all dirt and debris in order to solve the problem.
System Overheating
Furnaces are built with safety devices in place that will prevent the unit from overheating. Once the furnace’s temperature gets too hot, the system will turn off to prevent any damage from occurring. There is also the chance that there is a crack in your furnace’s heat exchanger which would cause the unit to short cycle. If you believe that your furnace is short cycling due to overheating, you should call a licensed HVAC technician to take a look at the problem.
Improper Placement of Thermostat
The location of your thermostat is important to your furnace and air conditioner operating properly. Improper placement of your thermostat could lead to short cycling. A thermostat should be located on an inner wall of a part of your home that is frequently used. Do not place your thermostat near a window, on an outer wall, or close to a draft.
To check whether the location of your thermostat is the root of the problem you can place a cardboard shield around the thermostat. If the short cycling problem goes away then you should move your thermostat to a better location. It is best for a professional HVAC technician to relocate your thermostat.
Blocked Air Vents
If there is any furniture or items on top of or very close to your air vent registers then there might be a problem. Items too close to air vent registers can restrict airflow, which results in furnace short cycling. Remove any furniture or items away from air vent registers to allow for adequate air flow. You should also open up all the air vents for proper air circulation.
Improper Placement of Thermostat
The location of your thermostat is important to your furnace and air conditioner operating properly. Improper placement of your thermostat could lead to short cycling. A thermostat should be located on an inner wall of a part of your home that is frequently used. Do not place your thermostat near a window, on an outer wall, or close to a draft.
To check whether the location of your thermostat is the root of the problem you can place a cardboard shield around the thermostat. If the short cycling problem goes away then you should move your thermostat to a better location. It is best for a professional HVAC technician to relocate your thermostat.
If after trying the solutions listed above you are still experiencing your short cycling problem, booking a service call with a trained HVAC technician is the next step.
If you have any further questions about furnace short cycling or any of your other HVAC concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time. Our highly trained and experienced technicians are more than prepared to assist you with any of your HVAC problems. We provide efficient and quick furnace replacement done by our team of HVAC professionals. Give us a call at 1-855-998-2998 or fill out our online request form and we will be happy to assist you with your request.
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