Your thermostat helps maintain the ideal home temperature all year round. Over time, dust can accumulate on the device’s sensor, causing it to incorrectly read your home’s temperature. Other common causes of the problem include poor calibration, battery issues, faulty sensors, and interferences from other wireless devices in the home.
If your thermostat reads the wrong temperature, it can affect the efficiency of your HVAC Petaluma. An inefficient HVAC system may consume more electricity and work harder and longer to maintain your desired temperature. It is under tremendous stress and can overheat and break down or develop problems regularly, costing more to run.
Here are some signs your thermostat is reading the wrong temperature.
Uneven Temperatures
If some of your rooms are significantly warmer or cooler than others, your thermostat may have developed a problem, which causes it to read the temperature inaccurately.
Thermostat and Manual Readings Differ
If you use a thermometer to check room temperature and it consistently displays a different reading than your thermostat, your thermostat may be reading the incorrect temperature.
Short Cycling
Short cycling occurs when an HVAC in Petaluma cycles on and off in rapid succession. Short cycling can be a sign that your thermostat is not sensing the temperature accurately and is unable to correctly determine when the HVAC system needs to activate or shut off.
Your Thermostat is Unresponsive to Adjustments in Thermostat Settings
If your home’s temperature does not increase or decrease even after you adjust thermostat settings, or if it takes a very long time for adjustments to have any effect, your thermostat may not be accurately sensing the temperature.
High Energy Bills
An inexplicable increase in your energy bills can indicate that your thermostat is reading the wrong temperature and is causing your HVAC in Petaluma to work harder than necessary.
HVAC System Behaves Erratically
If your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is acting up, turning on and off at odd times, or fails to achieve the desired temperature setting consistently, you may have a thermostat problem on your hands.
Things to try if Your Thermostat is Reading the Wrong Temperature
A bad thermostat can cause your HVAC system to come on and switch off at inappropriate times, affecting its efficiency. Here are some things you can try.
Check the Thermostat’s Location
Thermostats should be placed in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, windows, and any heat sources such as lamps or electric appliances. If your thermostat is placed too close to a heat source, consider relocating it to restore its ability to read your home’s temperature effectively.
Check for Drafts
Ensure that there aren’t any drafts around the thermostat. If cold or warm air from outside enters your home, it can cause your thermostat to read the home temperature inaccurately.
Check Wiring
Loose or corroded wires can affect your thermostat’s functionality. Turn off the power to your thermostat at the breaker box, then open the thermostat and check the connections. Tighten any loose connections and clean corroded wires. Consider hiring a professional if you do not understand how your thermostat works or have no prior experience of troubleshooting thermostat issues.
Calibrate the Thermostat
To check thermostat calibration, tape a thermometer on your wall next to your thermostat. Wait for 15 minutes and then check the temperatures displayed by your thermostat and thermometer. If they match, your thermostat is calibrated correctly, however, if they are different, you may need to recalibrate your thermostat. Check the manual for instructions to calibrate your model. Calibrating a thermostat may involve adjusting a screw.
Replace the Batteries
Weak batteries are a common cause of thermostat problems. Check your thermostat’s low battery indicator light and replace its batteries if the light has come on. To change your thermostat’s batteries, remove the outer cover and dislodge the old batteries. After you remove the old batteries, insert the new ones. Slide your thermostat’s cover down until it clicks into place.
Seek Professional Help
Some thermostats, especially older mechanical models, may need to be calibrated by a professional. If you have tried everything, but the problem persists, consider hiring an HVAC professional to inspect, calibrate, or replace the thermostat.
Replace the Thermostat
If you have an old thermostat or it isn’t compatible with your heating and cooling system, the device may read home temperature inaccurately. Consider updating to a smart thermostat. With a smart thermostat, you can create custom temperature settings.
Thermostat Maintenance Tips
Installing a thermostat isn’t a one-time task; regular maintenance is essential to ensure optimal performance. A poorly maintained thermostat can read home temperature inaccurately and may fail to serve its purpose. Periodic thermostat maintenance prevents thermostat problems, keeping your thermostat working at its peak efficiency.
Follow these tips to keep your thermostat in good working order.
Keep Your Thermostat’s Software Up-to-date
If you have a smart thermostat, make sure its software is up to date. Manufacturers often release software updates designed to help improve functionality, enhance existing features, add new features, and fix bugs. Even if your smart thermostat updates automatically, it’s a good idea to check periodically.
Keep Your Thermostat Clean
To clean your thermostat, remove the cover and gently wipe down the area between the contact points. Using compressed air, blow away debris.
Schedule Professional Inspection and Maintenance Regularly
Have your HVAC contractor inspect and maintain your thermostat whenever they make an HVAC maintenance visit. You may miss the subtle signs of thermostat problems, but your contractor won’t. During a maintenance session, you contractor
➢ Inspects and cleans the thermostat
➢ Checks the calibration
➢ Conduct tests to make sure your thermostat is working properly
➢ Checks wiring and replaces batteries
Temperature Solutions Inc is a leading HVAC contractor in Petaluma. We stand by our work and offer comprehensive labor and product warranties. Count on our skilled HVAC technicians to deliver precision and reliability from the start. Contact us at (707) 326-0424 for further details.