All About Short Cycling

Short cycling of a furnace is a common yet serious problem for furnace owners. Short cycling harms the sensitive wires and components in a furnace and decreases the overall life expectancy of the furnace by breaking it down completely.

If you feel that your furnace is short cycling too often, you may contact an HVAC company for heater repair in Katy, TX. However, before contacting them, you should follow these tips to solve the problem on your own. If the problem persists, you can contact them for help.

Here are some common reasons and solutions relating to the short cycling of a furnace:

Overheating

Overheating can damage the wires in the furnace and crack the heat exchanger. So, the furnace turns off to avoid overheating. Overheating may be due to clogged air filters or the vent network, so it is always better to check them and contact heater repair in Katy, TX.

Bad Flame Sensor

If the flame sensor is not working efficiently, the furnace will shut down once it lights. A bad flame sensor will not signal the furnace that there is no flame, and the gas valve will eventually shut off. The only solution is to clean or replace the flame sensor.

Dirty Filter

A dirty air filter causes the furnace to overheat and shut down before it completes one cycle. A dirty air filter does not allow the return of air into the furnace, causing it to overheat. Clogged air filters can also force the system to shut down completely. You may have to contact a company for furnace installation in Katy, TX, for repairs or replacement.

Blocked Heat Grates

Blocked heat grates prevent a smooth return of air into the furnace. Since the furnace generates hot air without the intake of cool air, it overheats and shuts down.

Blocked Exhaust Vents

Blocked exhaust vents harm the furnace like blocked air filters and heat grates, but this can cause more harm to the system. Exhaust vents block due to nests, ice, and snow, and such a blockage can leak carbon monoxide into the vents. You may have to contact animal control if there is any nest and a service technician to solve such a problem.

Wrongly Placed Thermostat

Thermostats detect the temperature of the spot where they are and instruct the furnace to shut down accordingly. If your thermostat is near a lamp, oven, or in sunlight, it will warm up and instruct the furnace to shut down. Change the location of the thermostat and observe if it works well.

Large Furnace

A large furnace does not go well with a comparatively smaller home, and it will short cycle for no apparent cause. The only way to fix this problem is to buy a smaller furnace that suits your home. Contact a company for furnace installation in Katy, TX, to sort you out.

You can always trust Air Mechanical & Services to find the real cause of your appliances’ problems and fix them on the spot. Our affordable and quick services are all you need. Contact us at (281) 220-9722