You see, on really hot days, we're talking about reaching the 90 or 100 degrees your system needs to keep up with the incoming heat. To do this, it will work longer to maintain the desired and constant temperature in your home. As your air conditioning unit ages, components wear out and lose their efficiency and effectiveness. To keep up, the unit will have long or continuous cooling cycles. If your unit is more than 10 years old and the components causing the inefficiencies can't be easily replaced or repaired, you can consider upgrading it to a newer, more efficient unit.
The constant operation of your air conditioner could simply be due to a dirty air filter. Dirt and dust accumulated on the air filter restrict airflow through the air conditioner and connected ducts. Your air conditioner will end up running constantly because cold air won't reach all the different areas of your home, but will instead be blocked by the clogged air filter. An air conditioner isn't something that's going to age with you.
So how long exactly do air conditioners last? Most air conditioners that receive annual maintenance last approximately 15 years. After that, it's time to update them. As you age, naturally, your air conditioner will have to work a little harder to get the same results. But an air conditioner that works all the time, is more than 10 years old and needs regular repairs is only costing you money. If airflow to or from the air conditioner is blocked, the air conditioner will struggle to operate.
If warm air constantly enters your home through cracks in doors and windows or seeps from an uninsulated attic, the air conditioner will work constantly. When the coils are dirty, the air conditioner has a hard time absorbing heat from the air and removing it from the house, so you should check the unit every year to make sure it's clean and working efficiently. When your air conditioner draws in air, it also attracts dust, pet dander, and other contaminants that end up trapped in the air filter. From an air conditioning unit that is too small to restricted airflow, here are four factors that could cause your air conditioner to work overtime.
In fact, the system will do the opposite of what was intended, since the air conditioner will expel hot air instead of cold air. Builders or homeowners often choose a smaller air conditioning unit to save money, but this is a short-term solution that can cause long-term problems. Once the air conditioner produces cool air, it's up to the air duct system to distribute it throughout the house. Similarly, if you have leaking ducts where cold air can escape, cold air doesn't reach the thermostat. The air conditioner should not work all the time (and if the air conditioner works without cooling the house, that's another problem).
