A thermostat that refuses to work can ruin your whole home’s atmosphere. Either your home is too hot or too cold, or you’ve got some wretched combination of humidity and heat. Whatever the problem is, it’s usually really frustrating. However, depending on the problem, you may be able to troubleshoot it by yourself! We advise caution when trying to fix or troubleshoot thermostats, as one misplaced wire or other small mistakes can cause big problems if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you don’t have experience with electrical work, don’t attempt to do any re-wiring. However, these tips may help you figure out what’s going on with your thermostat and apply a few easy fixes.

What Kind of Thermostat Do You Have?

The first step in troubleshooting thermostats is to figure out which type of thermostat you have. There are three basic types: programmable, mechanical, and digital. Mechanical thermostats are usually not programmable, instead requiring the homeowner to change the temperature manually. So if you wanted to set the temperature of your home to be higher while you’re not home in the summer, you’d have to set the temperature manually before you leave the house and reset it when you get home. Programmable thermostats allow you to pre-program the temperatures you would like for certain times of the day. Digital thermostats, on the other hand, are programmable as well but typically have an improved display and some can connect to applications on mobile devices. 

Check The Set Temperature

If your home isn’t heating or cooling to the proper temperature, the first thing to do is check and make sure the thermostat is set correctly. This may sound like an obvious step to take, but a simple human error could explain the difference between your desired temperature and the actual temperature. Be sure that your thermostat is set to your desired temperature, and then wait about an hour before taking additional steps. Your system may take a little while to catch up and heat or cool your home to the proper temperature, depending on how efficient it is. 

Calibration Issues

The sensor on your thermostat might be the problem. If the calibration is off, it may read the wrong temperature and think it’s heating or cooling your home to the temperature you specified when it’s actually a few degrees off. The instructions for calibrating your thermostat should be in your manual, so be sure to save the manual whenever you get a new thermostat!

Check The Connections

To check the connections, you’ll need to remove the cover on the thermostat and expose the connecting wires. Again, be careful when working with wires so that you don’t disconnect anything by mistake or accidentally shock yourself. There are different wires that control heat, air conditioning, the fan, and the power. If one of those has come loose or disconnected entirely, it could interfere with the functioning of the entire system. 

Do You Need Help Troubleshooting Thermostats?

When your home needs fast, high-quality service, you can count on Stack Heating, Cooling, & Electric! Our team of experts is ready to help you with a wide variety of repairs, replacements, tune-ups, and all types of residential electrical repairs. We want you to know that your family’s safety and comfort is our number one priority, as it always has been. We are taking all necessary precautions and following CDC guidelines to keep our customers and employees healthy. We’ve been serving the Cleveland area for over 40 years, and we’re not going anywhere. Give us a call at (440) 937-9134 or visit us on our website today and find out what we can do for you!

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