Everything You Should Know About Heat Pumps

2 Potential Fixes For A Window Air Conditioner That Doesn'T Cycle Off

14 December 2015

Jessica Jimenez

Window air conditioners are handy in homes or rooms that don't have central air conditioning. The controls are easy to reach so that you can constantly readjust the temperature settings to suit the day or your needs. Some models of window air conditioners can even cycle off and on depending on your temperature settings much like a central unit. But what do you do if your unit won't cycle off?

The easiest solution is to simply turn the unit off manually, but that doesn't actually solve the underlying problem. And the problem that's causing the constant cycling could damage your window air conditioner or start to cause issues with its ability to cool at all.

Here are a few of the potential fixes for a window air conditioner that doesn't cycle off. If you don't feel comfortable performing a fix yourself, or lack the equipment required, call in an HVAC repair technician for some professional help.

Improper Unit Size: Buy New Unit

If you have a window air conditioner that is too small for your room, the unit can cycle constantly trying and failing to get the room air to your desired temperature. Check the BTUs or British Thermal Units labeled on your unit to see if the unit is large enough for your room.

First, you need to know or measure the square footage of your room. The lowest range for BTUs is 100 to 150 square feet with a requirement of 5,000 BTUs. Whenever that square footage range rises by 100, add another 1,000 to the BTUs. For example, 400 to 450 would match 10,000 BTUs. If your unit's BTUs are too low for your room size, buy a new unit that has enough BTUs.

Refrigerant Issue: Call an HVAC Tech

Refrigerant provides the fuel for your window air conditioner's cooling system. The unit needs enough of the right kind of refrigerant to operate properly. A refrigerant leak or a problem in its course can cause your unit to cycle continuously.

Check for a refrigerant leak by turning off all power to the window unit then removing the unit from your window. Remove the front of the case that holds the operation controls. Now you should see the separation between the outer casing and the inner mechanisms. Pull the mechanisms out of the casing.

Check the inside of the case for any wetness and sniff for a chemically smell. If you find either of these problems, call an HVAC tech to repair your system and refill your refrigerant.

For more information, contact Soco Air Conditioning or a similar company.

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