Why Thermostats are Your First Point of Concern When It Comes to Emergency Troubleshooting
What are the facts about thermostats and heating breakdowns?
Picture yourself all snug in your bed on a cool fall evening when suddenly you notice the room starts feeling a little cooler, a little less cozy. You check the thermostat and see that it’s neither as cozy or warm as you had hoped or intended. When it’s the middle of the night and you want your heat back on five minutes ago, there is some emergency troubleshooting you can do. And it starts with the thermostat.
Why No Heat Could Be Your Thermostat’s Fault
The thermostat is the command center for your home’s HVAC system. If the system is operating at its best but your thermostat isn’t working properly, your HVAC system is like a rowboat without a paddle. This is why the thermostat should always be the first point of concern when it comes to emergency troubleshooting.
Since the thermostat tells the heat what to do and when, the first step in an emergency is to check the power to the device. Is it on? Did it get turned off accidentally? If there’s no power and the system won’t turn back on with the power button, check to see if a fuse has blown or it the circuit breaker has tripped.
The next thing to do would be to check to see if the thermostat is clean. If there is dirt, dust, or even cobwebs inside the unit, these can cause the thermostat to fail to register the temperature properly. And if it can’t register the temperature, it doesn’t realize that it’s not heating your home the way it should. Luckily, a dirty thermostat is pretty simple problem to fix. Just open it up and very gently clean all the internal components.
If you’re still having trouble with your thermostat, you should also check the location of the thermostat. Did you put a new lamp nearby that could be changing the ambient temperature near the temperature sensor? Is it near a fan or open window? If nothing has changed, and the thermostat still isn’t functioning correctly, it’s probably time to call for emergency repair.
If you find yourself heat-less in the middle of the night, never fear! Contact a McCall’s dealer near you for 24/7 emergency response.