Why Does My AC Only Run 5 Minutes

Air conditioners are meant to keep your house comfortable regardless of the month or time of the year. If you are experiencing issues with it, you won’t have a fun time solving them and may have to use air conditioning repair services. One of the problems homeowners tend to face is air conditioners running for just a few minutes, which could be due to several reasons. Let’s discuss!

Problem With The Thermostat

If your air conditioner is not performing well, you should consider checking the thermostat. More than half of air conditioner problems are related to thermostats. The first thing you need to check is the batteries. If the thermostat uses batteries to run, you will need to replace them regularly.

If the batteries are gone, the thermostat will not be able to perform and won’t be able to communicate with the air conditioner properly either. In addition to that, you should also check the location of the thermostat. If it is located near a window, supply vent, or an exterior door, your thermostat might be tricking your air conditioning by prematurely turning it off.

It might also be that your thermostat requires calibration. A thermostat without proper calibration will also trick the air conditioner into turning off prematurely. In this case, contact an air conditioner technician.

Air Filter Being Too Dirty

No matter how much it is stressed, the majority of homeowners ignore replacing or cleaning the air filters. Air filters are designed to keep contaminants and toxins from entering the house. This means they are bound to get dirty with time.

Therefore, every manufacturer recommends cleaning or replacing the air filters after a certain period of time to ensure the smooth performance of the unit. In the worst cases, the air filter being clogged restricts the airflow and it might cause the freezing of evaporator coils, causing the unit to shut down prematurely.

If replacing the air filter does not solve the issue, you might be looking at a much more complicated problem, which will require a technician to inspect it.

The Unit Has A Leak

Although refrigerant leaks are uncommon in new air conditioners but can still take place. It is mostly due to inexperienced technicians working on the unit, damaging the unit during the process, and causing the refrigerant to leak. A unit leaking refrigerant will not be able to run properly.

If you notice that the air conditioner is constantly tripping, it means the compressor is struggling to perform due to low refrigerant levels. Therefore, if you suspect a leak, you should immediately contact an AC technician who can help fix the issue.

Otherwise, if the unit continues to run, the compressor might get damaged, which is a costly replacement.

Oversized Air Conditioner

Most homeowners purchase air conditioners based on a wild guess. As a result, they complain about the unit not performing at its optimum, even though it is not the fault of the unit itself. The first thing to look out for when getting an air conditioner is the size of the room or the area where it will be installed.

Both undersized and oversized air conditioners will perform poorly. In the case of an oversize air conditioner, the area will cool very quickly and shut off quickly. You might think it is a good thing but it will only lead to higher energy bills, increased humidity, and various hot and cold spots in your home.

Failing Parts

Upon going through the previously mentioned factors, you observe that the issue still remains unresolved, it might be that some parts of the air conditioner are failing due to being old. If the components such as the compressor or capacitor are giving up, it means it is time to replace the AC unit.

Make sure that you do not spend money on expensive repairs to the point where the expenses exceed the actual cost of the unit.

Final Word

Concluding, troubleshooting an air conditioner that runs for a short while and turns off frequently can be a frustrating issue. However, considering the tips mentioned above, you will surely get your unit running. If required, hire HVAC contractors Vienna who can determine the cause of the problem and fix it.

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