Why Is My Furnace Short Cycling?
Does your furnace keep turning on and off? Known as short cycling, this common problem occurs when your furnace can't complete an entire heating cycle due to underlying issues like clogged air filters or a faulty thermostat.
Understanding the reason behind furnace short cycling is crucial for keeping your home comfortable throughout Tucson's cold evenings and winters. To help you with this, we've put together this guide, covering:
Keep reading to learn how you can get the best performance from your furnace.
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What Is Furnace Short Cycling?
A cycle refers to how long your furnace heats before shutting down. They typically run for about 15 minutes during moderate conditions.
Short cycling, in contrast, occurs when your furnace starts and runs briefly and then shuts down early. Your furnace might run for just a few minutes or even less.
One reason for a short-cycling furnace is if the system is too large and powerful for your home, as operation stops quickly once the thermostat registers your desired temperature. In any case, short cycling always impacts efficiency, regardless of whether it's due to a malfunction, because furnace startup consumes a large amount of energy. It can also lead to home humidity problems, so you shouldn't ignore it.
Common Causes of Furnace Short Cycling
There are several reasons why your furnace may short cycle, and you can check for many of these yourself. The most common include:
Clogged air filters. While not the most glamorous parts of a furnace, the air filters readily impact performance. This happens because dirt buildup restricts airflow, causing your furnace to overheat and shut down early.
Thermostat malfunctions. Whether due to a lack of calibration, incorrect settings, or a malfunction, your thermostat might be responsible for short cycling. Check that external heat sources aren't affecting it, and consider calling a professional to inspect and calibrate it.
Oversized systems. When a furnace's heat output exceeds what the space demands, it cuts off early. You can often tell when this happens because the short burst of air circulation leaves noticeable hot and cold spots throughout the space.
Component failures. Any number of electrical malfunctions can also cause short cycling. However, it's best to leave the diagnosis and repair to a professional.
How Short Cycling Affects Furnace Efficiency
Gas furnaces typically require a burst of electricity to power the igniter, so if your furnace cycles many times, the extra ignitions will add up on your energy bills. Likewise, the blower motor, which circulates the warm air, also draws significantly more power when first ramping up.
Another factor to consider is the potential increased maintenance costs, as frequent starts strain your furnace significantly. Over time, this could even lead to early component failure, necessitating costly repairs.
When to Call a Professional
If your furnace is short cycling, check the air filters and vents and examine the furnace for any changes in appearance or noise output. Then, check the thermostat and try resetting your system. If these measures don't fix the problem, contact a professional for more extensive testing.
You should also contact a professional immediately if you smell gas, notice the furnace cabinet heating up excessively, or detect increased carbon monoxide. Avoid using the system in the meantime.
Solving Furnace Short Cycling for a Warm, Efficient Home
Short cycling may indicate a need for routine furnace maintenance. However, it's also sometimes the first sign of a deeper safety issue that could impact your furnace's lifespan or damage your home, so if DIY maintenance doesn't help, don't delay calling a professional.
When the source of the problem is a furnace that's too big for your home, though, it may be time for a replacement. If you're replacing an older system, this can even have a dramatic effect on your energy bills due to the more modern technologies available.
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