As winter approaches, it’s important to make sure that your
furnace is in its best condition. The last thing you want in the dead of night
is for your furnace to go out. However, many times what appears to be a heating
and cooling issue is actually a thermostat issue. Sometimes, faulty or aging
wiring, dust accumulation, extreme temperature changes, and other issues can
cause your thermostat to malfunction, rendering it unable to properly
communicate with your heating equipment and regulate the temperature of your
home. Many electronic thermostats claim to be simple and user-friendly, but
anyone who has gone toe-to-toe with their thermostat and lost would probably
disagree. The truth is, sometimes they aren’t simple! Is it freezing in your
house, and you’re sure it shouldn’t be? Let’s check out the thermostat.
Common Issues with
Digital Thermostats
Are the batteries in
your thermostat working?
Let’s get the simplest fix out of the way first -- do you have
bad batteries in your thermostat? Sometimes, cheaper batteries do not hold
their charge and are likely to die on you. If your thermostat is not working or
appears broken, try the batteries first. Replacing them with name-brand
batteries may increase its lifetime use and reduce time spent in front of the
thermostat, wondering why the temperature is not correct. Additionally, check
the power switch. It can be easy to press an on/off button on a digital
thermostat, especially when the buttons are not labeled. If you’ve changed the
batteries and ensured that the thermostat is on, it could be the electrical
wiring.
Does the type of
thermostat match your furnace?
Thermostats and furnaces should complement each other. They
need to be properly matched for their type, capability, and capacities. If your
thermostat or furnace is too high-tech or low-tech for its partner, it can
induce miscommunication between the two systems. This miscommunication results
in heating and cooling systems that don’t
work properly. To be sure of a proper thermostat/furnace match, contact an HVAC
professional and have them inspect and repair your
furnace.
Take a look beneath the
hood
Excess dirt and dust on the thermostat can negatively impact
its function. Set the thermostat to it’s lowest function, and then remove the
cover. Gently clean the inner workings of the thermostat with a soft brush or
compressed air--a soft-bristled tooth-brush or canned air can be found at most
supermarkets and works well for this purpose. Next, set the thermostat to its
highest function, and clean it again. When you’re finished, reset the
thermostat to your preferred temperature.
Inaccurate temperature
readings
If your furnace is not kicking on it when it should, an
inaccurate temperature reading to your thermostat may be to blame. Heat from
direct sunlight or other sources can trick your thermostat into thinking it is
much warmer in your home than it is. Ensure that your thermostat is installed
away from windows and doors leading to the outside and that there is not a
draft near your thermostat.
Thermostats can be tricky to handle. Following these
troubleshooting steps may avoid a call to an HVAC professional, but one of the
best tips for managing your home’s health and comfortability is to know when to
give up. A qualified HVAC professional can inspect your system and return your
home to its proper comfortability in no time, with less headache for you.
