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Why Thermostats Can Cause A/C Problems
A thermostat is the brain of your central heat and air system, controlling your HVAC equipment to deliver year-round comfort to your family.
While most thermostats work great for a long time, they do occasionally present issues that could affect the performance of your central air conditioner.
Here are five reasons why your thermostat could cause problems with your A/C this summer.
It’s in the wrong place – Thermostats are usually quite accurate when it comes to measuring the temperature of your living space – unless they’re not placed correctly. Install a thermostat in direct sunlight, for example, and it will read the house as much warmer than it is, and your air conditioning will run constantly. This is also true if your thermostat is too close to a heat source (such as a vent, oven, or fireplace) during the winter.
Make sure your thermostat is centrally located and away from direct sun light and heat sources; if it isn’t, contact us and we’ll move it for you.
It’s dirty – Grime can build up inside a thermostat; when it does, the thermostat can’t correctly gauge the air temperature of the house. Older thermostats can be cleaned by simply dusting inside the cover. To clean the contacts, use a piece of paper and move it between the contacts in order to get the grime off. Don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself? Call us.
It needs new batteries – Because they’re electronic, most newer thermostat models use batteries, and those batteries wear out over time. See your owner’s manual to see what kind of batteries you need and how to replace them.
It hasn’t been programmed correctly – Modern programmable and “smart” thermostats are fully computerized; while that can enable a lot of energy- and money-saving tricks, it also means that modern thermostats need an investment of your attention in order to work properly. Spend some time learning how your thermostat works so you can troubleshoot problems and save more money along the way.
It wasn’t installed properly – D.I.Y. is all the rage these days, but fixing a modern HVAC system – even something as “simple” as a thermostat – can get complicated very quickly. One obvious sign of improper thermostat installation is loose wiring – a problem you should definitely leave for a professional to address, since a poor repair can cause more damage and could even cause electrical issues in your house.
If you experience these problems or any other problems with your thermostat or air conditioning system this summer, don’t try to fix it yourself: contact the pros at Needham Oil Complete Heating & Cooling.
Our experts work quickly and neatly to your COMPLETE satisfaction, fixing problems and suggesting solutions you can live with. From installations and maintenance to cooling repairs, Needham Oil Complete does it all.
A thermostat is the brain of your central heat and air system, controlling your HVAC equipment to deliver year-round comfort to your family.