When your HVAC system is working great, you likely don’t give it much thought. However, when your thermostat starts to malfunction, it can lead to some highly irritating issues. Fortunately, with our helpful guide, you’ll discover how to handle the most frequently experienced thermostat issues for homeowners.
Temperature Not Reaching Thermostat Setting
One extremely frustrating issue is when the temperature in your home doesn’t reach the temperature you have set on your thermostat. The best place to start is to look at your Heat and Cool settings. Make sure that you have selected the right one. Also, take a look at your Auto, Fan, and Off settings. You simply may have your HVAC system set to Off or on but in Fan mode.
HVAC System Runs Continuously
If you’ve noticed that your heating or cooling system has been running for hours without stopping, it’s typically an indication that something is wrong with your thermostat. Compare the actual temperature inside your home with that of your thermostat’s setting. If there’s a big difference because your system has been running non-stop, then it’s likely you have a faulty thermostat that needs to be replaced.
Thermostat Temperature Is Slightly Off From Your Room Temperature
One less subtle thermostat issue you may experience is the temperature being slightly off. You may have your thermostat set to 78 degrees but your cooling system stops cooling the room at 80 degrees. This can be an issue with your thermostat’s calibration. You’ll want to call an HVAC technician to recalibrate your thermostat so that it can accurately read the ambient room temperature.
Ambient Temperature Reading Is Off
Most commonly experienced during the daytime hours, your thermostat may have your ambient temperature listed as much different than what another thermometer may tell you. Before assuming your thermostat is malfunctioning, take a look at its placement. Is it receiving direct sunlight throughout the day, which could be causing it to read at a higher ambient temperature? Is there an appliance positioned right next to it that’s heating the air around the thermostat and causing an inaccurate temperature reading? Sometimes, a new thermostat may just have been placed in a bad location and needs to be relocated to a better one.
No Display
Your thermostat should always have a display that you can read to determine what the temperature is and what settings you have on. If you notice that the display for your thermostat has gone off and won’t come back on, it could be one of two issues. First, if your thermostat has batteries, they may just need to be replaced. This is most prominent with a low battery display before they completely die. If this doesn’t solve the problem or your thermostat doesn’t have batteries, then the circuit breaker likely tripped your system. Try resetting the circuit breaker once to see if it brings your display back on.
Buttons Not Working
If you’re trying to manually change the settings of your thermostat on its display, you may run into the problem of certain buttons not working. This is typically the result of excess gunk and debris getting stuck inside your thermostat. You’ll want to pop off its cover and clear out any visible debris. This should help to clear up the contacts so they make a good connection when you push the buttons.
Can’t Change Settings
If your thermostat display turns on and none of the buttons seem to work, it can be frustrating to deal with. Fortunately, this one is a fairly easy fix. Most thermostats have a child lock on them to prevent unauthorized setting changes. Simply read your manual and deactivate the child lock to proceed with changing your thermostat settings.
Thermostat Display Kicks On and Off
Another frustrating issue you may experience with your thermostat is the display screen kicking on and off. This can be irritating when you’re trying to change your settings, and you keep getting interrupted by your thermostat turning off. In most cases, this problem is simply due to loose wiring connections. Having an HVAC professional tighten up your electrical connections at your thermostat should solve this in-and-out problem.
Professional Thermostat Service
Sturm Heating & Air Conditioning offers professional thermostat services for the whole Spokane, WA community. Our technicians can also help with your heating, cooling, ductless mini-split, heat pump, plumbing, commercial, sheet metal fabrication, duct cleaning, and indoor air quality needs. Give us a call today to schedule your next service consultation.
