When your HVAC system suddenly stops working, it's easy to fear the worst and think that something is wrong with one of your costly components. There's another possible culprit that's easy to rule out: a failed thermostat. By following these steps, you can learn whether a thermostat replacement can get the system up and running again:
Change the Temperature Setting
Before doing anything else, try changing the thermostat's temperature setting by five degrees to see if this triggers the HVAC equipment. For the furnace, turn it up, and for the A/C, dial it down.
Check Whether the Thermostat is Receiving Power
Head to the main electrical panel and find the breaker that controls the thermostat. Even if it appears fine, shut it off and then on. If there are batteries in your thermostat, replace them.
Verify the Function Setting
Check the function button on the thermostat to make sure it's set appropriately for the season on either "heat" or "cool."
Check/Clean the Interior
Turn off the breaker again, then remove the thermostat's cover to inspect the interior. Make sure that all the electrical wires are tightly attached to the mounting screws. If any are loose, fix them. With a soft brush, gently clean any dust built up on the interior. Use a cotton swab dampened with electrical contact cleaner to clean the metal contacts. Then, turn the breaker back on and test if the thermostat is working now by making temperature adjustments again.
Bypass the Thermostat's Control
If these steps haven't helped, turn off the breaker again. Remove the thermostat from its wall mounting bracket and disconnect the electrical wires from the back. Find the red and white wires and gently twist the ends together. Turn the breaker on again and check whether the furnace cycles on. Using the red and green wires, repeat this process to test the cooling equipment. If the heating or cooling equipment cycles on when the wires are twisted together, you'll know the thermostat needs to be replaced.For expert help with a thermostat replacement in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “cdz/Pixabay”