Signs That Your Thermostat Needs to Be Replaced

July 20, 2019

A thermostat that is starting to falter can cause some major discomfort. After all, your home’s temperature is controlled by this device. How can you determine if it’s past the time you purchased a new one? Let’s look at some indications your thermostat should be changed out.

Temperature Discrepancies

One of the first and most obvious signs you may notice is simply that the comfort level in your home does not seem to match your thermostat setting.

If your indoor temperature is much higher or lower than it should be, the fault could lie with your thermostat. Older thermostats actually need to be calibrated for accuracy.

Man adjusting thermostat

Otherwise, the settings might be off by several degrees. You can check this discrepancy for yourself by placing a separate thermometer in a central location such as your coffee table or kitchen counter and observing the reading. If your thermostat doesn’t match, it may need to be replaced.


Cycling On and Off

If you change the thermostat setting but see no actual difference in your home’s temperature, you may have a serious problem. Try to use the device to turn the system off and on. This may take a few seconds, but it definitely should work. If it doesn’t, we’ve confirmed the problem. Your system should kick in a few moments after you set a new temperature. Before panic sets in, check your batteries. This might be all that’s wrong. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, you should turn to diagnostic professionals.

A variation on this problem involves short cycling. This is a situation in which your equipment keeps coming on and going off. The underlying cause is probably the thermostat, and this issue should be dealt with quickly. Left unchecked, it can cause serious damage to your cooling equipment.

At Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning in Lynnwood, we’re prepared to answer your questions about this or any other related matter. We perform heating, cooling, and electrical services for clients throughout the Seattle and Tacoma areas. That includes inspections, installation, repairs, and maintenance. We handle water heaters too. Give us a call today to discuss replacing your thermostat or to request any of our other services.

Brennan Heating & Cooling icon
Categories: