Troubleshoot Your Air Conditioning Thermostat

Sep 1, 2017 | Products & Services

An air conditioning thermostat with even a minor breakdown can create various issues for an air conditioner and could prompt an increase in electrical bills, or even a failing cooling system. Since the indoor thermostat is a little device, it is easy to over look when troubleshooting a unit, making it a challenge to determine if the thermostat is affecting the operation of a cooling system.

Digital Air Conditioning Thermostat

If a faulty air conditioning thermostat tells the compressor to turn off before the cooling cycle is completed, and then immediately comes back on again. That could indicates that the temperature sensor in the thermostat is failing to function properly. This will interrupt the air conditioner’s cooling cycle before it completes. Experts in heating and air conditioning repair or replacement at Aladdin Plumbing explain that this is short-cycling and it puts a tremendous strain on the units compressor, which will, in turn, raise the monthly cost and shorten the lifespan of the unit.

The air conditioner will not operate for the amount of time needed to evenly cool a house or building if the thermostat has a defective connection to the air conditioner or if the thermostat is improperly calibrated. Areas farthest from the air conditioner will form hot spots. This is uneven cooling.

If the fan is continuously running with out cycling down or will not come on, a professional at Aladdin Plumbing should check the wiring in the thermostat. If the air conditioning fan is running and the air coming out of the vents is not cold, the thermostat may have lost all connection to the compressor.

There are some things you can do before having to call the professionals in heating, and air conditioning repair at Aladdin Plumbing whose technicians are always efficient and professional. The first and easiest thing to do is change the batteries, not all thermostats use batteries, however, the thermostats that use batteries, may simply need new batteries and in some cases when the batteries are replaced the thermostat will function normally.

  • Even if the batteries did, in fact, correct the thermostats problem, the thermostat should be dusted with a small paint brush or any soft bristled brush. Dirt and dust build up causes wrong temperature readings and other issues. Dust all the metal coils and the contact plates.
  • The thermostat should also be away from direct sunlight and other heating sources, the temperature reading of the thermostat will be off, and it will send false commands to the air conditioner.
  • The thermostat needs to be perfectly level; this can be checked using a level device. If for some reason the thermostat is not perfectly level, the mercury will not work the way it is supposed to.
  • Another thing to try is adjusting the anticipator. To do that open up the thermostat’s cover and look for a small metal tab next to a scale from shorter to longer. If the system cycles on and off too frequently or not frequently enough, adjusting your anticipator will usually solve the issue.

If the problem continues, there is one more thing to try before having to call Aladdin Plumbing. It is kind of like a “reset.” Set the thermostat to heat and turn the temperature down to around 60 degrees F so that the furnace is not getting any signals from the thermostat to turn on. At this point, the furnace is off.

In the event, the furnace has not turned off yet, keep· lowering the temperature setting until it does. Turn off the power to the unit using the breaker box. After about thirty seconds to a minute switch the unit back on. Now try using the unit again. If the problem continues to call a professional to further troubleshoot your thermostat, contact Aladdin Plumbing, we are ready to assist you.

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