Is Your Thermostat Working Correctly? Here's How to Tell

In order to keep your home as comfortable as possible in the most energy-efficient manner possible it's vital that your thermostat is always working correctly. If it's not you'll be constantly adjusting it to try and find the right settings and you'll be wasting energy in the process. In this post, the team at Steve's Air Duct Cleaning in Arvada take you through the process of evaluating your thermostat to find out if it's working correctly.

Diagnosing a Bad Thermostat

If it seems like your thermostat is acting up we recommend you try and diagnose the problem before calling an HVAC company and ordering a replacement. It could be the problem lies with the thermostat, or it could be that your home needs air duct cleaning. In any event here are some signs that indicate all is not well with your HVAC system and that the thermostat might be to blame:

• Your energy bills suddenly increase – If the cost of energy hasn't suddenly changed and the weather has been more or less normal yet your energy bills suddenly increase there may be a problem with the thermostat.
• The readout screen is blank – If the digital display on the thermostat is blank there is definitely something wrong. But that doesn't mean you need a new thermostat. It could be that the batteries in the device need to be replaced or that a circuit breaker in the house has been tripped.
• Your heating and cooling system begins to short-cycle – If your HVAC system begins to turn on and off more frequently, that's called "short cycling". If you notice your system is short cycling it may be a problem with the thermostat, or it could be a problem with the heating/cooling unit itself.
• Settings on the thermostat change on their own – If you notice the settings on your thermostat have changed there may be something wrong with the device. But before you call the HVAC guy to replace the thermostat check to see if anyone else in the house changed the settings without telling you.

Why Would a Thermostat Stop Working?

If your thermostat is beset by one or more of the above issues and is not working properly it's important to know why. Below are some of the most common reasons a thermostat will stop working:

Damaged or faulty wiring

A thermostat is like any other device in that it is susceptible to the ravages of time. If your thermostat is an older model it is possible that the wiring inside has become loose or frayed. In some cases, wires may become disconnected severing the connection between the thermostat and the rest of the HVAC system.

Dirty sensors

Even behind the faceplate of your thermostat dust can build up over time. When this happens it can sometimes cause a malfunction of the thermostat's temperature sensor resulting in inaccurate readings. That, in turn, can lead to the system turning on and off when it shouldn't.

No power

Many contemporary thermostats are battery-powered but a fair percentage are hard-wired right into the home's electrical system. This negates the need to be changing batteries but it also creates the possibility that a tripped circuit breaker could shut down the thermostat.

A software problem

Today's smart thermostats aren't smart enough to fix themselves if something goes wrong (at least, not yet). It's possible that if your thermostat is malfunctioning that there is a software issue. If you suspect that's the case we'd recommend contacting the manufacturer. They may have a fix you can download.

Faulty wireless connection

A lot of thermostats these days communicate with the rest of the HVAC system wirelessly. If there is some sort of interference with the wireless signal it can cause communication problems or it might cause the thermostat to stop working entirely.

Incorrect placement of the thermostat

If your home was recently built or you recently remodeled and moved the thermostat it could be that it's in the wrong place. "Wrong place" in this case means that it's near a window, or in direct sunlight at some point during the day, or that it's near a heat source. All of these can cause inaccurate readings that cause the HVAC system to malfunction.

Settings accidentally changed

If you've recently had people over for dinner or a party it's possible that someone leaned against the thermostat during the course of the evening and changed the settings without realizing it. Something as simple as changing the mode will greatly affect how the system works.

Dead batteries

Maybe the simplest of all thermostat problems and the easiest to fix. If your thermostat is battery-powered, dead or low batteries can cause the device to act erratically or to shut down entirely with little or no warning. Simply installing new batteries will resolve the problem.

This short video shows how to replace the batteries in a variety of common thermostat models.

What to Do if Your Thermostat is Malfunctioning

If you are certain the issue lies with your thermostat and you are certain the problem is not caused by dead batteries, a tripped circuit breaker, dirty air ducts or accidentally changed settings you may want to replace it. We'd recommend you opt for a smart thermostat that will give you more nuanced control over the temperature in your home.

Should You Replace Your Thermostat Even if It's Still Working?

An argument can be made that if your thermostat is more than 10 years old then you should replace it, even if it is working fine. Why? Because a thermostat that old could break down at any minute. And you don't want that happening in the middle of a punishing Arvada winter. Also, a new smart thermostat will probably run your HVAC system in a more energy-efficient manner, saving you money on your monthly energy bills.

For Expert HVAC Cleaning in Arvada, Call Steve’s

A malfunctioning thermostat may be easily fixed or it may need to be replaced, depending on the nature of the problem. If you suspect dirty air ducts may be contributing to your HVAC woes contact Steve's and schedule expert air vent cleaning for your home. Our technicians will have your ductwork humming in short order so call 720-419-7792 today during normal business hours.