Based on their size, thermostats can seem like minor pieces of equipment. However, your thermostat controls the functionality of your entire HVAC system, so it directly affects the equipment’s operation, energy efficiency, and your family’s comfort. Because of its importance, you should know how your particular thermostat works, and how to recognize thermostat-related problems that need professional attention.
What Kind of Thermostat Do You Own?
There are two basic types of thermostats used with household HVAC systems:
- Mechanical. These manual devices use a bimetallic coil, a strip of two metals laminated together, that expands and contracts in response to temperature shifts. When the coil moves enough to connect with one of two built-in contact points that you set via the temperature dial, it signals the HVAC equipment to cycle on or off.
- Electronic. These units don’t rely on moving parts. Instead, they’re equipped with a thermistor, which measures temperature changes using differences in electrical resistance. Most have a digital display and some offer programmable capabilities to help save energy. “Smart” or “learning” models are the latest innovation, and there are also units with specialized PID controllers to work with modulating-output HVAC equipment.
Common Thermostat-Related HVAC Problems
Since the thermostat controls your HVAC equipment, problems with the unit can wreak havoc on your comfort and energy bills, so be sure to seek expert help if you’re experiencing:
- Short cycling: If your furnace or A/C starts, runs briefly, then shuts off again, your equipment might be oversized, or you could have a dirty thermostat.
- Inconsistent temperature control. If your living space never seems to reach the temperature you’ve set on the thermostat, there may be a serious problem like a low refrigerant level, but it can also be caused by a poorly calibrated or off-level thermostat.
- Unresponsive furnace or A/C. A blank thermostat screen is often a sign that the unit needs new batteries. If your HVAC is still unresponsive, your HVAC pro might diagnose a frozen cooling coil, or damaged/disconnected thermostat wiring.
If you need help solving thermostat-related problems in your Lorain home, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
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 other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area