As we approach the height of summer, household central air conditioners are beginning to really get a workout. Keeping the A/C on helps keep you comfortable, but it can also become expensive. That's why it is so important to make sure your system is running well. If you find that your A/C system running constantly is driving up your bill, then it's time to look into the cause. There are numerous reasons why your A/C system may seem to be running non-stop throughout the summer. The truth is, this may not always be a bad thing. Some of the reasons below may indicate a problem with your system and others may alert you to other issues in your home that you can take steps to correct. It's important to start our discussion with this fact: a properly sized, energy-efficient central air conditioning system will run fairly continuously in the summer to maintain a constant, desired temperature in your home. These systems operate at their highest efficiency level when allowed to do their job at "full tilt."

Unit Too Small: If your central air conditioner is too small, then it is going to have to work harder to cool your home. Houses For Sale In Milton KentuckyOver time, this will increase the wear and tear on your unit and reduce its life. How Much Would It Cost To Move A Combi BoilerYou will also never achieve the desired coolness in your home, even though the system runs often. Laser Light Show FlashlightIn addition, breakdowns will be likely. Unit Too Large: If your system is too large, it won't effectively remove moisture from the air in your home, resulting in an output of moist, clammy air. It will actually have shorter run times than it should and use excessive amounts of electricity, resulting in higher utility bills.

Wrong Duct Size: The size of your ductwork should be relative to the size of your air conditioning unit.  If your ducts are the wrong size, they may not be able to handle the airflow or distribute cool air efficiently to all parts of the home. If your system seems to never shut off, there may be an issue with your thermostat. It may be that your home has reached the correct temperature, but the thermostat is not registering the conditions in the home. In this case, your A/C unit will continue running. One way to check the thermostat is to place another thermometer near the location of the thermostat. After an hour or two, check the reading. If it is at or near your desired home temperature, there may be a problem with your thermostat. Poor sealing or insufficient insulation is another common culprit which can cause your unit to run constantly and inefficiently. If your home is not closed up tight while your A/C system is in use, you may be losing that precious cool air that you need during the summer through small holes or non-insulated walls or roof.

If you are losing the cool air in this way, your home may never reach your desired temperature, causing the A/C unit to run more than needed. Our related blog post here gives you some background on why sealing and insulating your home is so important, especially for A/C efficiency. Air conditioning units need regular maintenance to continue running smoothly, much like other appliances in your home. Ideally, maintenance should happen twice a year, in the spring before the warm weather hits and in the early fall after things have cooled off and it is no longer in use. If your system is not clean, including your ducts, coils and air filter, you will likely encounted airflow problems and inefficient cycling. A professional technician will check to make sure everything is clean and lubricated. He/she will replace worn parts and confirm that the thermostat is working properly. Regular maintenance of your A/C unit will not only help ensure that your unit is in good working order, it will also extend the life of your cooling system.

Air conditioners have a life span. Even if your unit has been properly maintained, it will eventually wear out. At this point, you may want to consider replacing your old, inefficient unit with a new one. This will save you money in the long run, because newer units run much more efficiently than old ones. You can read here about some of the latest technology available for home central air conditioning. Any of the above reasons can cause your air conditioner to run more often than it needs to, which will cost you a whole lot of money. Your best bet is to contact a professional and let them know you have an A/C system running constantly if you are concerned. Chances are it is something simple. Even if it is a more significant problem, dealing with the repairs now will greatly reduce you bills in the future.Question: My air conditioner unit in my home runs just about constantly just to stay at 76 degrees. Do I need to add more freon? Or do I need to replace my AC unit before summer gets here?

My electricity bill was over $350 dollars last month in April!Answer 1 – It will depend on the temperature of inside your home and the outside air temperature and also how well your house is insulated. If you have vaulted ceilings and lots of big windows then this is something to consider. If there is cold air blowing from the vents then it may be doing all it can to keep it at 75 degrees. At times the AC Evaporator can get dirty from use. If this is dirty it will decrease the effectiveness of the AC unit temperature. You can try cleaning the evaporator coil with this cleaner here.Answer 2 – Throw the expensive restrictive return “pollen” home air filters away and put a cheap free flowing return filter on there instead. Those high dollar filters are for equipment protection and are very restrictive. The allergy catching filters are total gimmicks and are too restrictive for the normal A/C system. Or you can swap out your return grill to a huge size to make up for reduced airflow through the restrictive filters.

Getting the cheap blue or green 99 cent filter is the cheapest way to improve your AC to not constantly run and to improve it’s effectiveness.How often to change air filter for your AC unit in SummerAnswer 3 – First of all… The word “freon” is a brand name for a refrigerant named R-22 (Refrigerant 22). Other types of air conditioning refrigerants are called R-134a, R-404A, R-407C, R-12 and R-410A. Also the actual refrigerant that is named Freon was banned years ago. To be able to work with R-22 yourself you need to be certified by the EPA. (If you want to know more about refrigerant info requirements from the EPA click here) Anyway, your unit is probably undercharged (not enough refrigerant) or overcharged (too much refrigerant). Usually an AC mechanic or tech company will come out and check the refrigerant with industrial gauges for about $30 dollars. Have them come out and check your A/C before you buy a new unit of course!Answer 4 – A bigger air conditioner unit is not always better when it comes to HVAC equipment.

The unit must be properly sized for the house it is going to be used on. There are many factors that go into a load calculation. Consider things like the number of windows in your home, the east and west sunshine exposure, and your homes insulation. If you do not get cold air out of the AC vents then you could have a refrigerant issue. Most people cannot check this themselves so it is best if you call an Air Conditioning Technician. Have them come out and check your refrigerant to see if it needs to be filled. If you are a Groupon member there are usually great discounts on getting your AC checked to see if repairs are needed. You can also check your AC air filter to see if it is dirty and clogged. A dirty AC air filter prevents air flow from going across your indoor evaporator coil. Remember to change your air filters every 30 days in the summer months.Home A/C Air Conditioner DiagramAnswer 5 – If you have approx 17 degrees difference between the supply air (air going into the vent) and the cold air coming out of the vents then there is nothing wrong with the unit itself.