5 Ways To Tell If Your Home's Thermostat Is Malfunctioning

Why Would a Thermostat Malfunction?

Anything that originates from technology has the tendency to malfunction, and it’s possible that the thermostat may malfunction at the worst time when you may need to turn on the central air to get the home warm, but only cold air comes out. Maybe you want the home to get cool, but warm air alone is coming out. It may just be that you’re getting no air at all when the thermostat is programmed to turn on the central air, and this can be even worse.

There are ways to fix thermostats that are malfunctioning, but it’s definitely something that needs to be done by a Manchester area professional who specializes in thermostat repair. Whether it’s a thermostat that's programmable or an older thermostat with no display doesn’t matter because a specialist is the one to get the thermostat working again.

Clues That Your Thermostat Isn't Working Properly

Always look for small clues that your thermostat gives you to let you know that it’s not functioning properly because this can save you a lot of time, effort, and money later on. If you hear sounds, see signs or strange behavior from your thermostat, then you know a malfunction may have occurred or is going to occur, and that’s when you need to get a specialist to come to the home to get the thermostat back in order.

Here are a few signs that may indicate that your thermostat is currently malfunctioning:

No matter what you do, you only get cold air from the central air.
The thermostat makes clicking noises, but the unit stays off.
The thermostat has a room temperature that is incorrect.
The display for the thermostat is very dim or unlit.
You can't get the thermostat to program at all.

Cold Air Problems

If you turn on the central air and are only getting cold air when you want it to be warm, then this is obviously a malfunction that may be the direct cause of the thermostat itself. There are troubleshooting tips that may help, such as checking to see if the thermostat is set to heat the home as opposed to cooling the home.

Many may accidentally leave the air-conditioning on, and then when it’s time to turn on the heat, they simply set the thermostat and expect the home to get warm, but the thermostat is actually cooling the home instead. It’s wise to make sure that the system's fan isn’t running on its own because this will only generate cool or room temperature air as opposed to the warm air you may be looking for.

If you still haven’t figured out the problem after doing some troubleshooting, then another problem may be present that you don’t know of within the thermostat or with the HVAC unit itself, so in this case, get a specialist.

Thermostat Doesn't Turn On The Central Air

When a thermostat is turned to the right temperature, especially if it’s an older thermostat that cannot be programmed, then it’s likely that you’ll hear a click when it’s turned on, which means it’s turning on the central air. The same click should be heard when the unit turns itself off or if you turn it off through the thermostat.

Clicking sounds may also be heard if you set a programmable thermostat to turn on, but if you’re still getting no air at all from the unit, then the thermostat might have a malfunction. There may be a lack of electricity, there could be a short, or the thermostat is broken, which is why it’s not turning on the central air. Other problems may be that there is a problem with the HVAC unit itself, so professional help will be needed in this case.

Incorrect Room Temperature

Many thermostats will give the wrong room temperature, which can be a problem when it comes to turning on the central air. The room temperature needs to be correct because if you plan on allowing the central air to heat the room to a certain temperature or cool it down to a certain temperature, then the temperature on the thermostat needs to be correct.

It’s possible to determine if the temperature is correct by using a thermometer to test the temperature in the room, and if it’s drastically different than the temperature on the thermostat, then the thermostat may be malfunctioning.

It’s also possible that the thermostat was placed in an area where it’s getting too much warm or cold air that is influencing how it’s reading the temperature, so this should also be examined.

A Dim or Unlit Display

Those that have a programmable thermostat or one that has a display should always see that the display is lit, or else this proves that the unit is malfunctioning. If you see that the display is dim, then it’s possible that the battery is dying and needs changing, or there’s a problem with the electricity. If there is no light in the display at all, then a dead battery, lack of electricity, or a broken thermostat may be the culprit.

Programming Problems

Those with a programmable thermostat hate to program it, only for it to a erase the programming or not accept it at all. If a thermostat is not accepting the settings that you established for the temperature control, then there could be several things causing this, and the only way to pinpoint the exact problem is by getting professional help.

Go and Get Thermostat Repair

When you see a problem with your thermostat, don’t wait to see if it will fix itself because it most likely will not. Get an HVAC or furnace specialist out to your Manchester home to check out the thermostat, and it may be necessary to check out the central air system as well to see if the unit that’s using the central air is a part of the problem.

Get a specialist in thermostat repair from Skovron Mechanical Services LLC. in Manchester, NH by calling (603) 922-4037.