Diagnosing Common Thermostat Problems

As a homeowner, chances are you’ve run into problems with your thermostat. Maybe the thermostat is blank and isn’t even turning on. Perhaps it’s not reaching your desired temperature or giving an inaccurate reading of the temperature in the house. It may even be obnoxiously blinking and causing a headache. Blakeslee and Son are here to solve your thermostat problems!

Thermostat Not Turning On / Thermostat is Blank

Your blank thermostat could be solved by a quick fix if:

1. Your thermostat is Off. Double check the thermostat is turned On. There’s always the chance it was accidentally turned off.
2. Your furnace door is open. Make sure the furnace door is closed securely.

Another one of the most common causes of a blank thermostat is dead batteries. Typically these thermostats use AA batteries, but you should open up your thermostat’s panel to be sure. From there, a simple battery replacement will take you a couple of minutes and you’ll be back in business.

Another reason your thermostat could have a blank display is due to a wiring/electrical issue. The wiring could be loose due to disturbance by people (or rodents!) in the house, the connections are faulty, or it’s just become worn out over time. In any case, since this is an electrical issue, this one is best left to the professionals.

Have you considered a furnace tune-up? Learn more about the tune-up process on how it benefits your health and safety.

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A blank thermostat display can also be the result of a tripped circuit breaker (typically found in a breaker box in your garage, basement or storage room). The circuit breaker “trips” when it detects an electrical fault that could potentially damage the circuit, like a power surge or a short circuit. To fix the issue, navigate to your breaker box and flip the switch back on. In older homes with fuse boxes, a blown fuse will have the same effect. In this case, the fix isn’t quite as simple and will need professional fuse replacement.

A blank thermostat may also be a good indicator that your safety switch has tripped. Your safety switch is an essential safety precaution that prevents electrical shock and fires from happening. Your safety switch could trip due to a clogged rain pan or too many appliances running at once. To address the issue, simply turn the switch back to ON. If the switch is stubborn and flips immediately back to OFF, you may have a deeper-rooted problem that needs to be checked and repaired by a professional.

If none of these seem to fix the thermostat issues, and the thermostat is more than 10 years old, it might need time for a replacement. Call Blakeslee and Son to see if your thermostat can be repaired or needs to be replaced.

Thermostat Not Turning on AC

If your air conditioner won’t turn on when your thermostat is set, first check for low batteries in your thermostat. If they haven’t been replaced in a while, that could be the solution to an unreliable thermostat.

One common reason that your AC doesn’t turn on (when everything else is functioning) is a bad capacitor. Your capacitor sends electrical signals to start the motor. It goes bad when you hear a humming noise coming from within the access panel. To fix it, see if the capacitor is the problem by turning the power on and off again. You might get lucky and it’s a one-time issue. Or, if the power is still not working there’s likely to be a motor or recurring problem with the thermostat.

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Thermostat Not Reaching Temperature

There can be many reasons why the thermostat isn’t reaching the set temperature. Some are simple fixes, like increasing or decreasing your set temperature so that it isn’t too close to the ambient temperature. Others are more complicated like thermostat recalibration by a professional.

When you have a dirty filter or restricted airflow in your ducts, it takes more energy for your entire HVAC system to work properly and can cause your unit to run continually without reaching temperature. To prevent this, it’s a good practice to replace your air filter every 30-90 days depending on how often you’re using the system.

When your HVAC system is sized incorrectly for your home, you’ll run into the problem of rooms not properly heating up or cooling down to your desired temperature. The size of your furnace is fundamental in figuring out what will work efficiently and effectively in your home.

What Size Furnace Do I Need?

If your thermostat is still not reaching the set temperature, there could be loose thermostat wiring. It’s important to get this issue resolved by an HVAC professional so they can properly inspect the inside of the thermostat. There could also be wiring corrosion from a dust buildup contributing to your system issues.

If your thermostat is not positioned properly in your home, you may also experience your AC not reaching temperature. If it’s in an area near a fireplace or kitchen, it can tend to read warmer than the rest of the home. If it’s located near an exterior door or window, the temperature could read colder than the rest of the home. Overall, the thermostat’s location can lead to an inaccurate representation of the indoor temperature. To fix this, it’s recommended to place your thermostat in a location where the temperature will be consistent. If your thermostat is less than ideal, we can offer assistance on the best areas to install it and re-wire your thermostat to a different location in your home. Call Blakeslee & Son or schedule an appointment online.

Thermostat Blinking

If your thermostat is blinking, it may be an indicator of low thermostat batteries. It can also be an indication that your thermostat has detected a problem with the outdoor unit and has stopped running. To fix this issue, shut off your indoor unit for 1 minute. After 10 minutes, check to see if the outdoor unit has turned back on. If it runs back to normal, the issue could be with your circuit breaker. If it isn’t turning back on, there’s probably a bigger issue and we recommend that you have it inspected by an HVAC professional.

Call the Thermostat Professionals!

A faulty thermostat can show you many HVAC issues. If you’re constantly struggling with your thermostat and having to manually adjust it, you should call for an inspection. At Blakeslee and Son, our expert installers take the guesswork out of your thermostat issues! Blakeslee & Son servicesRockford, Cedar Springs, Ada, Grand Rapids, and the surrounding areas.

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