Thermostats are devices that regulate the temperature in your home by instructing your furnace or ac to warm or cool your home as required.
You should place your thermostat in the correct position for your thermostat to function well — visit this site to learn more.
Thermostats have been found to give incorrect readings from time to time. There are those times when your home feels uncomfortably hot or too cold. But when you check your thermostat, it displays a different temperature
than what you are experiencing. This shouldn’t be a cause for worry. There are simple ways you can resolve this.
Is your thermostat not reading the correct temperature anymore? Here is how to fix the issue:
Change Batteries
Your thermostat can start acting up if it runs low on battery. Once a thermostat’s batteries run out, it stalls at the same temperature. And at the same time, it stops regulating the temperature.
So, suppose you discover that your thermostat is not reading the correct temperature. In that case, your first solution should be to change the batteries. In case you see corrosion, use gloves to remove the bad batteries, clean up the area and insert new batteries.
Clean Your Thermostat
Yes, in case you are wondering, thermostats also get dirty. Over time, they collect dust and debris. This accumulation of debris messes with its sensors, causing it to read the wrong temperature.
To avoid this, it is advisable to clean your thermostat regularly and routinely. For a DIY cleaning:
- Switch off the power to your thermostat at the fuse box
- Open and remove the cover of the thermostat
- Clean the inside of the thermostat with a small soft brush or with a dry piece of cloth.
Doing this regularly prevents dirt from accumulating, maintaining its sensitivity and keeping it in great working condition.
Check and Change Your Thermostat Filters
Is your thermostat not reading the correct temperature? Check out the filters.
Like any HVAC system component, the thermostat also has filters. And as you regularly clean your AC and furnace filters, also clean your thermostat filters.
Dirty filters obstruct efficient airflow, preventing the thermostat from efficiently pulling in air to measure its temperature. And you, therefore, find that it gives out readings that are opposite to the average temperature in the room.
Clean filters ensure that the thermostat gets a continuous airflow, enabling it to give the right and current temperature readings. Aside from regularly cleaning the filters, replace the old filters with new ones.
Change the Positioning Of Your Thermostat
Most inaccurate temperature readings result from placing the thermostat in the wrong position in the house. Some of the wrong places to put a thermostat include exterior walls, areas where there is direct sunlight, drafts, or warm currents. They also include areas next to the heat or cooling source (furnace or AC), high on the wall, and in the least used places, say the attics and the basements.
Placing your thermostat in the wrong position gives your thermostat the wrong temperature readings. Suppose you place your thermostat on a wall that is next to a heating or cooling source. In that case, it will read the desired temperature quickly because of its proximity to the furnace or AC.
Although the areas near the heating and cooling sources meet the desired temperature faster, the rest of the room may be colder or hotter.
To fix this, move your thermostat to a better and more central position. Great places to put your thermostat include an inside wall in the center of the house, a height 5ft above the ground, and a commonly used room. This will enable the thermostat to give accurate average indoor temperature readings, enabling your HVAC system to perform its heating and cooling function efficiently.
Check and Replace the Sensor
Your thermostat reading wrong could be a result of a faulty sensor.
A faulty sensor can also make your thermostat not read the correct temperature. When you discover that the sensor is the problem, get rid of it. A faulty sensor cannot be fixed. The only solution is to replace the old one with a new working sensor.
Level Thermostat
Your thermostat not reading the correct temperature could mean that it is not leveled properly.
For thermostats, especially older thermostats, to work efficiently, they need to be recalibrated or leveled.
When shifting, installing, or repositioning a thermostat, there is moving or shaking. And this causes the mercury in the thermostats to move. For your thermostat to give the correct temperature reading, its mercury bulb must be level.
Aside from leveling your thermostat, check whether your thermostat is calibrated correctly. If it isn’t, it will keep on giving you the wrong temperature readings. Read through your thermostat’s manual to know and understand how to calibrate it correctly.
Replace Your Thermostat
Old age could be another reason for the thermostat not reading the correct temperature.
Thermostats have a lifespan of about 10 years. As a thermostat gets older, it suffers wear and tear, reducing its functionality. To ensure that you get the right or accurate temperature readings, replace your old thermostat with a new modern one, most preferably a smart or programmable thermostat.
Check the Thermostat Wiring
Sometimes, the thermostat fails to keep your home at the desired temperature because it’s wiring (connection to the HVAC system) is faulty, loose, or disconnected.
To ensure that the thermostat wiring is correct, turn off the power to your whole HVAC system. Remove the cover and cross-check the wiring to ensure that all connections are secure. You can read your manual to know how to do this.
Conclusion
It is better to seek the services of a professional HVAC technician to thoroughly inspect your entire HVAC system and find out the actual cause of your thermostat giving off the wrong readings.
Sometimes, the problem could be greater than the thermostat itself. But only a qualified technician will know this. And will carry out his due diligence to ensure that your system is up and running as it’s supposed to be.
