Air NEVER cuts off?

Question

I'm in middle Ga. and it's hot as , well, you know....
My air never shuts off. It's set at 80.
I live in a modular home(fancy name for doublewide?)
that was built in 2002. This is our first summer in this home.
Our windows are tinted and covered with blinds and drapes and we don't fan the doors.
Looking for trouble shoot ideas before I have to pay somebody to come out here.
Thank you in advance for looking at my question.
Have a great day!
D

Answer 1

Sounds like either of 2 common things: #1, a low refrigerant charge; or #2, the compressor relay contacts are burned and aren't "letting go" when they should. In either event, a LICENSED A/C company is who to call...and they'll probably be late and charge you a bundle (unless you find an 'Honest Abe' type) since this is their time to make money, esp. in good ole hot/humid summertime Georgia (I used to live in Roswell and Dawsonville). Have the make and model and age of your A/C unit handy when you call the office. And look for 'ice' on the unit...NEVER run it when it's iced up. Finally, most A/C units can only bring the temp down +/- about 20 degrees colder than the outside temp...is your unit in direct sunlight most/all of the day? Consider a lattice above it, to keep it a bit cooler without restricting the dissipation of the heat that the unit throws off.

Answer 2

Does the home get down to 80 degrees? It's hot and humid, and the machine is doing all it can to keep up.

Take your thermometer and measure the temperature of the air going to the indoor unit. Take the same thermometer and measure the air coming out of the indoor unit. You should see around a 20 degree drop. If you have less than 16 degrees, or more than 22 degrees, you need to call in a pro.

If you have the 20 degree difference, the machine is doing all it can do, it may be undersized.

Another thing you can check is the filter and the indoor coil. Your filter is probably just over the indoor unit in the utility room. If they are clean, go outside and rinse off the outdoor unit with a gentle spray from the hose. a 10 minute shower on the coils will help the unit remove heat from the home.

If you are planing a long-term residence, plant deciduous trees along the south side of your lot. Start with Lombard Poplars. They will grow fast, and between them plant a good broad-leaf tree that does well in your area. The south shade will help the home stay a little cooer. I'm sure you know to not run the clothes dryer, avoid using the stove and oven.

Keep Kool

Answer 3

It sounds like the problem is with your thermostat. If you know the inside air gets to 80 degrees or lower and the unit keeps blowing cold air. Take a thermometer and place it at or as near the thermostat as possible to give you an idea of your inside air temp.
An a/c unit that is low on freon will eventually freeze up the coils and stop your air flow. Your thermostat should have a switch on it for the fan that says ...fan - auto - on -, if it is set on "on" the fan will continue to run continuosly after the condensing unit shuts off.

hey wwwstat, you pretty much just ripped off my answer. Anything for a point, huh?

Answer 4

if it never shuts off and is cooling your home good then possible problem is the thermostat is bad ... if it not getting your home cool enough to kick off...possible problems are 1 incorrectly sized unit...2 low on freon...you should be able to see ice on the big line going to your condensing unit and it should barely blow any air through the vents while it is froze over...if it is cooling home well but not getting home to cold and still will not kick off...possible problem is the fan switch on the thermostat is set to the on position instead of the auto position or the fan relay is stuck closed...

Answer 5

hi,
there is a part on the ac unit, ( the name of which is evading me at the moment) anyways, it controls when the ac turns on and off...thats whats broke...costs about $150 to have it fixed...mine goes every 4 to 5 years...