A thermostat lets you adjust the temperature throughout your home. Unfortunately, if your thermostat is not working the way it should, you experience energy waste and your comfort is at risk. Because of this, it is important that you are able to recognize when your thermostat is having issues. Below, you will learn about a few of the most common issues that homeowners experience with their household thermostats. If you find that you are having any of these issues, you should contact a professional HVAC contractor as soon as possible. They will remedy the issue or upgrade your existing thermostat to one that can improve your indoor climate.

Dirt and Debris Accumulation

If you are experiencing issues with the programming of your thermostat, or if you have noticed that your thermostat is turning off far too soon, then there is a good chance that it requires a simple cleaning. When the ventilation slots are blocked, the wires could overheat or there could be interference with the connections somewhere. To help remedy this issue, you can use a can of compressed air to send a blast of air inside. This will help to push out any dust, dirt, or debris that may have built up on important components and contact surfaces.

Insufficient Power

If your thermostat is digital and the screen is not as bright as it normally is, there could be a lack of power somewhere along the lines. To try to remedy this issue, take off the cover plate and try replacing the batteries first. Alternatively, if the thermostat receives power from the circuit breaker, then you should head there and flip the breaker in order to reset it. If your thermostat does not respond to this method, then there may be some damaged wires somewhere inside, which may also be causing the issues you are experiencing. To resolve this problem, you will need to consult with a professional.

Location

When the ambient temperature in your home goes above or below the temperature programmed in the thermostat, the system will come on. However, if the thermostat is not placed in an ideal location, then the readings of the thermostat can be impacted. For instance, if the thermostat is in a location where it is hot or is in direct sunlight, it may assume that the home is hotter than it truly is. If it is installed in a location where there is a lot of wiring behind the wall, then the temperature of the wall may interfere.

When you are having issues with your thermostat or HVAC system in general, contact an HVAC maintenance service.