Ever get the feeling that the “feels like” temperature of your home doesn’t quite match up with what you see on your thermostat? It’s not out of the ordinary to see and feel a difference between the thermostat temperature and what the temperature actually feels like to you.
How to Check Your Thermostat
To check if your thermostat temperature actually lines up with actual temperatures in your home, you’ll need a digital thermometer, some tape and a piece of paper towel. Tape the paper towel to the wall next to your thermostat and then tape the thermometer directly to the paper towel. Leave the thermometer in place for 15 minutes and then check both temperatures afterwards.
With the thermometer next to the thermostat, you’ll be able to read the same temperatures your thermostat reads. The paper towel helps isolate the thermometer from the wall so you won’t accidentally read the wall temperature. If indoor temperatures on both devices don’t match up with one another, you’ll need to take action.
Aligning Thermostat Temperature with Actual Temperatures
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to bring your thermostat temperatures back in line with the actual temperatures in your home:
- Make sure your thermostat isn’t located in an area where it’s exposed to drafts or direct sunlight. The thermostat should also be mounted on an interior wall in a central location in your home.
- Also make sure the thermostat sits level on the wall. Use a bubble level to check and, if necessary, correct its alignment.
- Open the thermostat and make sure it’s free of any dust and debris. Use a soft brush to clean off any debris and electronic contact cleaner to remove residue on its contacts.
If these measures don’t work, then you may want to consider having your current thermostat replaced with a newer model. Also keep in mind the effects of humidity and how it can change your home’s “feels like” temperature.
For more information, contact the professionals at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We proudly serve Lorain and the surrounding areas.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area