Smart Troubleshooting Tips for Your Home Thermostat

A thermostat is the device that controls how much warm or cool air is produced by your HVAC system. In homes without air conditioning, the thermostat controls only the furnace. Thermostats work by detecting the temperature in a home and comparing it to a set temperature. It will then request heat or cool air in order to reach this set temperature.

Note that while heating or cooling problems may appear to be related to the furnace or air conditioner, those appliances may actually be functioning properly. In many cases, the home thermostat is what’s malfunctioning. In order to determine the source of a fault, an HVAC technician can check your home thermostat along with the rest of your system. In order to troubleshoot your thermostat, a professional may:

• Check to make sure the main breaker is set to the on position.
• Turn off the circuit breaker for the furnace and air conditioner.
• Remove the thermostat’s cover and check the wires. The wires should be mounted firmly to the correct mounting screws. If any wires have come loose or are not mounted correctly, your professional will reattach them.
• Clean components and contact surfaces if there is no mercury switch.
• Look for loose or disconnected wire on the transformer mounted on the furnace.
• Check to see if the display on programmable models is working. If it is, this indicates that the thermostat has power. If it’s not working, your professional will replace the batteries.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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