Thermostats are among the most advanced parts of HVAC systems. Even the simple ones have such an important part to play that no homeowner can afford to overlook the thermostat—especially since thermostat troubles are among the most common for creating comfort issues in a home.
What’s tricky about thermostat malfunctions is that they aren’t always obviously coming from the thermostat. This is one of the reasons it’s important to have a Howell, MI, HVAC contractor on the job when you aren’t receiving the comfort levels you expect from your AC or heater, or if you’ve noticed odd behavior from the HVAC system and a steep rise in energy bills.
To help you recognize a thermostat on the fritz, here’s a list of some of the most common thermostat-based problems you may run into:
The AC or Heater Will Not Turn On
Whenever your comfort system isn’t running, you can imagine plenty of worst-case scenarios. But it might be as basic as a tripped circuit breaker. Or it might be that the thermostat isn’t communicating with the system to tell it to turn on. The thermostat has multiple different connections to the AC and heater, with wires to turn on the fan, compressor, and igniter. Loose one of those connections, and you’ll have a non-working comfort system.
The AC or Heater Will Not Turn Off
On the other hand … thermostats also have connections to signal the AC and heater to turn off. If your comfort system or the fan simply won’t stop running, a lost connection with the thermostat is a strong possibility. Don’t let the system continue to run and run—have pros on the job right away.
Uneven Temperatures Around the House
A properly installed and sized heater and air conditioner should provide an even spread of comfortable temperatures around the house. Yes, there will be some variants because certain rooms receive more outside heat, but the difference shouldn’t be stark. When the thermostat is turning the HVAC system on and off at the wrong times, it will cause hot/cold spots to begin showing up. There are many potential sources for uneven heating, so have HVAC experts examine the system to see what’s gone wrong.
The Thermostat Screen Is Blank
When you go to change settings on your digital thermostat and discover the screen has gone blank, you may think it has lost power or its battery has run down. (This depends on whether the thermostat is hard-wired or runs exclusively on battery power.) This is one possibility. But a blank thermostat screen can also indicate the AC or heater has tripped a limit switch, and you’ll need to have repairs.
The Thermostat Is Misreading Temperatures
If you can’t get your house to the ideal temperatures because it swings between too hot and too cold, you may have a miscalibrated thermostat reading wrong temperatures. It’s hard to find the right comfort and energy-saving setting when you can’t trust the reading on the thermostat! Fortunately, it’s a simple task for HVAC technicians to recalibrate the thermostat. Please don’t try to “guess” how best to set the comfort level for the house—have the thermostat repaired.
First Choice Heating & Cooling is the HVAC contractor to call for your AC repairs. If your home had a voice … it would call First Choice!