Thermostat replacement isn’t something you’ll be confronted with very often. When it’s necessary, however, it’s critical to sustaining household comfort and keeping monthly heating and cooling costs affordable. Thermostat malfunctions may be hard to miss or they can be not at all obvious.
Here are some of the issues you might encounter that mean its time to think about replacing the thermostat.
Thermostat setting and room temperature don’t agree.
If the setting is 65 degrees but the thermostat cycles the furnace on when the actual room temperature is 70, you may be able to be adjust your way out of this problem. Many units provide a function that allows you to adjust thermostat setting accuracy plus or minus 5 degrees. If the setting error is more than 5 degrees off, however, thermostat replacement is usually called for.
Furnace or A/C cycles on and off rapidly.
If the thermostat location allows it to be affected by acute temperature changes, such as near an exterior door that is frequently opened or in direct sunlight, relocating the thermostat may or may not help. Assuming other systemic causes such as over-sized heating or cooling equipment are ruled out, replacing the thermostat is the next option for rapid on/off cycles.
Heat and cool functions run continuously without cycling off.
If the setting is correct and indoor temperatures are not extreme, this is generally a slam dunk for thermostat replacement as it is unlikely that both heating and cooling systems would be malfunctioning.
Thermostat belongs in a museum.
If you’re still hanging onto a manual mercury-switch thermostat that dates back to the 1970s, do yourself a favor and replace it with a digital programmable model now. With proper use, the programs and accuracy of a digital thermostat can lower heating and cooling costs significantly. Plus, automated temperature control is far more convenient and consistent and provides other user-friendly features not offered on the old-school manual model.
For a professional opinion about thermostat replacement in your home, contact the experts at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 260-376-2961.
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