AC Runs Nonstop and the House Stays Warm
Long run times on a 95 degree afternoon are normal. An AC that keeps running into the evening, after the air off the bay has cooled things down, and still cannot reach the set point has a problem. Call (510) 288-2541 and say how far short the house falls.
Normal or not?
Most home systems are designed to hold a gap of roughly 15 to 20 degrees between outdoors and indoors. On a 100 degree day in the hills, a house sitting at 80 may be the best the equipment can do. Once the sun goes down the house should start dropping. If it does not, something is wrong.
What contractors usually find
- A slow refrigerant leak
- A dirty outdoor coil, or a condenser boxed in by shrubs or a fence
- Leaky or disconnected ducts in the crawlspace
- An upstairs or attic room the system was never sized for
- A thermostat in a cool hallway that never feels the hot rooms
Call and have a contractor check the charge, coil and ducts.
(510) 288-2541Help it keep up
Close blinds on the west side by early afternoon, open windows at night once it cools off and save the oven and dryer for the evening. Replace a dirty filter and trim back plants crowding the outdoor unit.
Questions about AC Never Shuts Off in Oakland
- Is constant running bad for the compressor?
- Long cycles on hot days are easier on it than rapid on and off cycling. Running hot because of a leak or a dirty coil is what wears it out.
- Why is only my upstairs hot?
- Heat rises, and upstairs rooms often have the longest duct runs and the most roof above them. A zoning damper, duct changes or a ductless head for the top floor can help.
- Would a bigger AC fix it?
- Not by itself. An oversized system short cycles and leaves the air clammy. A load calculation shows whether size is really the issue.
The call is free. You reach an independent contractor who works in Oakland, and they take it from there.
(510) 288-2541