Plumbing Tips

The HVAC system in your home is one of the most important systems in your home. This is especially true if you live in a climate with cold winters and hot summers. Those changes in temperature can cause your furnace to be overworked in both directions and make it stop working. There are a ton of different problems that can occur when it comes to your furnace. It can refuse to turn on. It can refuse to turn off. It can also stop heating air altogether and cause the people in your home to freeze. Most people associate HVAC problems in their Grand Junction home with the furnace or the air conditioning unit. They often forget about a common culprit when it comes to a malfunctioning HVAC system, the thermostat unit.

There are many styles of programmable thermostats on the market that can help regulate the heating and cooling systems. Most of them are electronic. They all can have a disastrous effect on your home if they aren’t working correctly. You may be unfamiliar with the different problems that programmable thermostats can present if they are malfunctioning. Here are 5 ways to tell if the thermostat in your home isn’t working. Some of them you may be able to fix yourself, some of them may require someone who is certified in thermostat repair.

Location of the Thermostat

If you thermostat is causing your furnace or air conditioner to run constantly the problem could be as simple as where your thermostat is located. Each thermostat uses its sensors to detect the temperature of the room where it is located. It then uses this information to regulate the climate in the home. If the thermostat is located near a drafty window or by a door that lets in a lot of cold air it could think that the house is much colder than it actually is and cause the furnace to run constantly in an effort to heat the home. This could cause the home to become way too hot and can have a huge negative effect on your utility bills as well. The opposite effect can take place when it comes to your thermostat’s location if it is located in an area where it gets too much sun and thinks the air is much hotter than it really is.

Electronic Problems

Most thermostats found in homes today are electronic thermostats. This means the interface between the resident and thermostat box is via an electronic screen. If the electronics malfunction on the thermostat it can cause the homeowner to not be able to control the thermostat. It can also cause the thermostat to have incorrect readouts and heat or cool the home incorrectly. This problem can be an easy fix or may require certified thermostat repair. Many of the problems with thermostats that are electronics related are covered under the thermostats factory warranty. This means the thermostat can be replaced for free in many instances.

Furnace Won’t Turn Off

If the furnace in your home is perpetually on it could mean that there is a problem with your thermostat. The temperature gauge on the unit may be incorrect and cause the unit to think that it is much colder than it is. This will cause the furnace to be on constantly in an effort to properly heat the home. Obviously, the opposite can happen as well resulting in your furnace never turning off as well. Problems like these could be caused by faulty wiring, bad thermostat location, or any other factors. Some of them are simple and some of them are complex.

Dirty Thermostat Box

Another sign that your thermostat might not work correctly is that it is not clean. Check your thermostat box regularly to ensure that the wiring and the temperature gauge are clean. Dirt and residue can get on the unit and cause it to misread the surrounding temperature. It can also cause the wiring to rust out and stop working. To avoid problems with your thermostat unit be sure to clean it regularly to prevent these problems. If your thermostat looks dirty it could cause the box to have problems down the line. A malfunctioning thermostat can be disastrous when it comes to your monthly utility bills.

Anticipator Needs Adjusting

When you open your thermostat box you will see a small metal tab coming off of the thermostat. This is called the anticipator. If your furnace is having problems it may just require a small adjustment in either direction to get the correct amperes to correspond with the furnace correctly. If the original adjustment isn’t effective, you may need to consult the manual on your furnace to correctly match your thermostat to it. This is a very common problem with thermostats that is a quick an easy fix.

Box Must be Level

This is actually an overlooked problem with thermostats that can cause issues. You should make sure that your thermostat box is level at all times. A tilted thermostat box can have problems functioning correctly and have problems working correctly. It’s amazing how often this problem can occur when the thermostat unit is originally installed in a home.

If you are having problems with your HVAC system you might need to look past the furnace or air conditioning unit. The problem could be with your thermostat unit itself. It is one of the most overlooked aspects of the heating and cooling system in every Grand Junction home when it comes to repairs. There are a lot of thermostat issues that are fairly minor and can be fixed by looking up a simple do it yourself method. Other problems could be more complex and require the help of a certified HVAC professional. If you are having problems with your programmable thermostat contact a professional today.

For outstanding services in your Grand Junction, CO home, call Peterson Plumbing at (970) 399-7063. You may be surprised at how many issues are covered by your warranty.