Regardless of the season, a malfunctioning thermostat is no good when trying to maintain the desired level of comfort in your home. If you’ve been told by another source that you should replace your thermostat, call Merts Heating & Air Conditioning today for a FREE second opinion. If your thermostat isn’t working, we’re the ones to call first!
If the temperature inside doesn’t match the reading on the thermostat, you may have an issue. If your AC or heat doesn’t continue to run when set in the correct operating position, it could be your thermostat. Higher than normal energy bills or constantly fluctuating temperatures could also signal a broken thermostat. If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it’s time to evaluate the effectiveness of your home’s thermostat.
The experts at Merts Heating & Air Conditioning devised the following checklist to make sure your thermostat is working properly.
Check the Settings & the Circuit Breaker
If you think your thermostat is broken, first check that it’s set to the proper setting. It could be that it was accidentally set to cool instead of heat or vice versa. Another possibility is that the fan setting is set improperly. Resetting either of these and ensuring the correct temperature is set can be all that’s needed to resolve your issue.
If either of the above is not the problem or neither resolves a non-functioning thermostat, check the circuit breaker to make sure it’s on. If so, simply resetting the breaker by turning it off and back on can sometimes be the key to restarting the thermostat. If the breaker is off, and resetting it causes it to go again, call an expert to ensure you don’t have a bigger electrical issue or need an HVAC replacement. The trained professionals at Merts Heating & Air Conditioning can offer affordable options to install a new HVAC system in your home ASAP.
Check the Thermostat’s Batteries or Wiring
A thermostat may run by battery power or be hardwired into your home’s electrical system. Even an electric-powered thermostat may have batteries for backup. If you’re unsure about the power source for your home’s thermostat, call Merts Heating & Air Conditioning to have one of our technicians assess your individual situation.
Once you make this determination, simply changing the batteries may resolve your specific issue. If you notice any loose wires around your hard-wired thermostat, call our trained technicians to repair or replace your thermostat right away.
Reset the Thermostat Temperature in Either Direction
An effective thermostat will respond very quickly to a different temperature setting. Increasing your temperature setting by at least five degrees, should make your AC or heating system instantly turn on. If it comes on and stays on, the thermostat is probably fine. If it turns on and stays on for only a few minutes, the system could be short-cycling, which means it’s not running long enough to reach or maintain the desired temperature. Call the professionals at Merts Heating & Air Conditioning to assess your system and fix or replace your system today.
Perform a Temperature Check
If you have the means to do so, another check to perform is comparing the temperature reading on your thermostat with the actual temperature of the indoor air. There are testers that can be purchased from your local hardware store or even computer applications that can be downloaded to help make the comparison. A simple indoor thermometer may also provide some of the information you need. The two temperatures should not differ significantly.
Checking these numbers may verify if the thermostat is effectively recording the temperature of the air blowing into the space.
Thermostats do sometimes fail. Replacing a faulty one may be all you need to get your AC or heat running efficiently again. But sometimes the problem is more than that. Call Merts Heating & Air Conditioning for all your South Suburban area and Northwest Indiana near Crown Point, IN heating, cooling, and indoor air quality needs.