System Not Working? Check Your Thermostat

If your home’s cooling system grinds to a halt, or perhaps isn’t cooling your home the way it used to, don’t draw the immediate conclusion that you have a broken air conditioner. The problem might be a thermostat issue. This will be a lot easier and cheaper to calling an air conditioning company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to come fix a malfunctioning AC.

Testing your thermostat

Investigate whether the power supply to the thermostat (or AC) is delivering electricity.

A circuit might have tripped to that component of your cooling system. Obviously, if either the AC or thermostat isn’t getting power, it’s not going to work.

While many thermostats are tied into your home’s electrical system, some run off batteries or have battery backups. Inspect the battery situation to see if there’s an easy fix for your problem.

Then check the electrical circuit box to make sure the circuit for the AC hasn’t tripped.

Open the casing for the thermostat and inspect for dirt, dust or even spider webs.

(Warning: Don’t mess with the wiring or other components without turning off the power to the thermostat.) If a thermostat’s internal components are dirty, that can interfere with its operation. If you have a tiny brush – perhaps one used for trimming a mustache or beard – clean the thermostat’s inside carefully. Use a can of compressed air to blow away loose dirt particles.

If any of the wiring or parts in the thermostat seem loose or corroded, that could be the problem. Use a small screwdriver (perhaps one you use for tightening eyeglass frames) to tighten screw and reconnect any loose wires. But don’t play with wiring if you doubt your ability to do this sort of repair.

If none of these steps get your AC running again, it is the time to call your trusted Cincinnati HVAC repair contractor.

They’ll be able to swiftly determine if the problem is your cooling equipment, the thermostat or some other issue.

What if the thermostat setting doesn’t match room temperature?

Just as a dirty thermostat can stop your AC’s operation, it can also adversely affect its operation, perhaps not registering the actual room temperature.

• Dirty components can offset the calibration in the thermostat. Clean it, as described before, and see if that solves this problem.
• Is the thermostat level? A thermostat that’s off-center also can have its calibration thrown off, so it’s not properly registering the temperature of the surrounding air.
• Is your thermostat installed in the right place? Ideally, it should be mounted on a wall in main hallway or living room, but not in an area where direct sunlight reaches.
• For the same reason, the thermostat shouldn’t be in an area that gets cool (or warm) drafts from outside. If you have levels of your home that don’t cool or heat as quickly as your main living floor, such as a finished basement or attic loft, consider having a Cincinnati HVAC contractor like Jansen install a zoning system, with independent temperature control in those areas.

You might be surprised to learn how many homeowners don’t realize that a single thermostat is inadequate to provide balanced heating and cooling in a large house with multiple floors.