{"id":55,"date":"2019-07-31T15:32:34","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T15:32:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/?p=55"},"modified":"2019-08-12T13:36:23","modified_gmt":"2019-08-12T13:36:23","slug":"should-my-ac-be-running-all-the-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/2019\/07\/31\/should-my-ac-be-running-all-the-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Should my AC be running all the time?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Your air conditioner should NOT be running all the time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it depends on what you mean when you say \u2018all the time\u2019. Sometimes it\u2019s normal for an AC to operate more frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your Air Conditioner Should Run More than Normal When\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s hotter outside. The warmer the temperature is outside, the longer your AC will run to get your home to your desired temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Longer runs times are good in these conditions: it means your air conditioner is working the way it should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But even then, you should still be able to hear your air conditioner turn off and on as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When You Should Be Concerned<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Your air conditioner never turns off. It\u2019s literally running all the time.<\/li><li>Your energy bills are going through the roof, yet you aren\u2019t operating your air conditioner any differently.<\/li><li>The air temperature doesn\u2019t seem to be changing, no matter how low your thermostat goes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you notice any of the previous stated issues, especially the first one. It\u2019s time for you to diagnose and fix the issue in order to have a cool home and an air conditioner that isn\u2019t slacking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s Causing Your Air Conditioner to Run All the Time?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Several things can cause your air conditioner to run all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Air Flow is Blocked<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your air conditioner needs to be able to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If air flow to or from your air conditioner is blocked, your air conditioner is going to struggle to work. That means it\u2019s going to keep running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Things that can restrict air flow to your AC are:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The air filter is dirty and clogged<\/li><li>Ductwork leaks<\/li><li>Closed or blocked vents<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test this theory by holding your hand up to an open vent. You\u2019ll feel a cool but weak stream of air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turn off your AC and change the filter. Then double check for any blockages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re still not noticing a difference, you should call a professional HVAC technician to help you out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Dirty Evaporator Coils<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Refrigerant runs through the evaporator coils and absorbs the heat from the air in your home. When the evaporator coils are clean, this is a smooth process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As more dirt and grime builds up on the evaporator coils, the harder it is for the refrigerant to absorb heat. All those layers create a barrier, and your AC just keeps running. Yet your home does not get any cooler.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is something that is included in tune-ups and should be left to the professionals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. There\u2019s a Refrigerant Leak<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you don\u2019t have enough refrigerant, your AC runs all the time trying to make up the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refrigerant is never supposed to run out or need topping up. The only time it is necessary is when there\u2019s a leak.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll know you have a leak if there\u2019s icy buildup on your AC, your home isn\u2019t getting any cooler, or your AC hisses at you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do have a leak, get it fixed as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Your AC is Old and Needs to Be Replaced<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most air conditioners that receive annual maintenance last approximately 15 years. After&nbsp; that you should upgrade your system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As it ages, your air conditioner will have to work a little harder to give you the same results. But an AC that runs all the time, is over 10 years old, and needs regular repairs is just costing you money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We recommend you talk to our home comfort specialist about getting a new air conditioner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Your Air Conditioner is the Wrong Size<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An air conditioner that is too small for your home will have to run constantly to keep it cool. This means more wear and tear on your AC. More wear and tear = more repairs and a shorter lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, the only way to solve this problem is to get a properly-sized air conditioner, which costs a lot more money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re due for an air conditioner, choosing the right installation company is the first step to avoiding this problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get your AC a Tune Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to make sure your air conditioner is working as it should is to call a professional hvac service technician and treat your AC to a tune-up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get a thorough inspection and make sure your AC is in the best possible shape it can be in.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your air conditioner should NOT be running all the time.&nbsp; However, it depends on what you mean when you say \u2018all the time\u2019. Sometimes it\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2,5,6,28,30,27,29,31,32],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ac","tag-air","tag-air-condition","tag-condition","tag-cool","tag-heat","tag-refrigerant","tag-tech","tag-tuneup"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions\/57"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jjmheatingandcooling.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}