Air Conditioning

In Jacksonville, FL, having a functional HVAC system is absolutely essential. Not only can the weather get excessively hot, but the days and nights can also be extremely humid. Being able to regulate your indoor environment is essential for preventing heat-related health issues. It’s also an important part of ensuring that your living space provides all the comfort and enjoyment that you and your loved ones deserve. Sadly, when things go wrong at the thermostat, heating and cooling systems won’t work as they should. The following are six signs that your thermostat is damaged or broken.

1. Your HVAC System Won’t Turn on

Your thermostat is the central control for your heating and cooling equipment. If you can’t turn your air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace on from the thermostat, you may assume that these units have failed. Fortunately, this seemingly complex problem is often a tell-tale sign that your thermostat has reached the end of its lifespan or that it suffered an unexpected malfunction. The good news is that replacing a bad thermostat is significantly cheaper than replacing a heater or AC.

2. Your Air Conditioner or Heater Runs Non-Stop

Just as your thermostat is the main control for turning your heating and cooling equipment on, it’s also the component that tells this equipment to turn itself back off. Once the desired indoor temperature is reached, it’s your thermostat that will alert your furnace or air conditioner to shut down. When cooled air continues to flow into the home even after the building interior has become undeniably chilly, you may need to have your thermostat calibrated. If this component isn’t capable of accurately reading indoor temperatures, it won’t be able to assist in proper temperature regulation.

3. Differing Temperature Readings Throughout the Home

A lot of consumers in the Jacksonville area have invested in ductless, multi-split air conditioners that allow them to cool rooms or zones individually. With these, there can be dramatic differences in environment and thermostat readings from one area of the building to another. There are even a number of households with central HVAC systems that are zoned to provide the same levels of customized comfort and efficiency. However, if you’ve got a standard central HVAC system and have noticeable differences in temperature throughout the house, it could be because your thermostat isn’t working.

Keep in mind that hot and cold spots can be the result of various issues. Check to make sure that all air registers are open, especially in rooms that feel over-warm. If the airflow isn’t impeded in hot areas, a busted thermostat is a likely culprit. A central thermostat and a central cooling system should be able to provide even heating and cooling throughout the entire living space.

4. Short-Cycling

When short-cycling occurs, your system powers on and then quickly powers itself back off. It does its work in short bursts of energy that don’t really have an impact on the indoor climate. One of the first things to check when your air conditioner is short-cycling is its air filter. If this is blocked by a thick buildup of lint, dirt, and other collected debris, it may be the source of short cycling. If you’ve been diligent about performing filter changes according to the recommended schedule, short cycling can also be the result of inaccurate temperature readings or other malfunctions at the thermostat.

5. Programmed Settings Keep Getting Deleted

If you’ve already made the smart and popular choice of upgrading to a programmable thermostat, keep in mind that all programmed information should be held by this device for an extended period of time. If you keep having to reenter this information, it may mean that your thermostat has reached the end of its lifespan or that it’s poorly designed. A high-quality programmable thermostat should save you money and make your life much easier. What a programmable thermostat shouldn’t do is drive up your energy costs and leave you feeling frustrated.

6. There’s No Response to Changes in Temperature Settings

Your heater and air conditioner should instantly respond to changes in thermostat settings. If the indoor environment is overbearingly hot, it shouldn’t take long for the AC to turn on once you’ve decided upon and set a cooler temperature. You should never have to wait more than a few seconds for your cooling equipment to kick into action. Likewise, if the rooms feel too chilly and you want your AC to shut off, as soon as you send the command via your thermostat, the cooling system should turn off right away. If it isn’t responsive, schedule a thermostat inspection as soon as possible.

Why Thermostats Break Down

The most obvious and common reason for thermostat malfunctions is age. If you’ve got an old, outdated thermostat on your wall, you shouldn’t expect it to perform well for long. Once these components reach the end of their lifespans, they’re unreliable, and they can stop working at any time. When the weather is hot, having a busted air conditioner is downright disheartening. However, knowing that your AC works just fine and that the problem lies with a small, low-cost component can be much more so. Take stock of your thermostat’s age and plan for a replacement well in advance of its demise.

Where Is Your Thermostat Installed?

Certain installation problems can both shorten the lifespans of thermostats and affect their ability to get accurate temperature readings. For instance, consider the location of your thermostat. It may be sitting in an area that gets lots of natural light throughout the day. With the sun beaming directly down on it, your thermostat will get a far different temperature reading from what it should. This same problem can occur if the thermostat is installed by an oven or near any other permanent heat source. When setting up wall-mounted, shelf-mounted, or counter appliances that heat up, make sure that these aren’t being placed anywhere near your thermostat. If you catch and correct problems like these early on, you can avoid progressive and potentially permanent thermostat damages.

The Benefits of Upgrading Your Thermostat

Whether you’ve got an old thermostat that’s fast nearing the end of its lifespan or one that lacks all of the bells and whistles of recent thermostat innovations, replacing it is a great way to save money, enjoy more home comfort, and avoid frustrating thermostat-related problems. Programmable smart thermostats take customized heating and cooling to the next level. These devices can heat your home up or cool them down just before you arrive. They can time all AC and heater use according to your preferred schedule. They also offer an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint and eliminate unnecessary wear and tear on your HVAC equipment.

At Buehler Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re capable of handling all of your heating and cooling needs in Jacksonville. With our indoor air quality services, AC maintenance and repair services, and full-on HVAC system inspections, we can identify and resolve the source of your issues in no time at all. We can also help you get the level of indoor comfort and energy efficiency that you want. Call us today to schedule a thermostat inspection or to learn more about the full range of services and products we provide.

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