Five Common Thermostat Problems

Your thermostat plays a pivotal role in ensuring that your home is comfortable and also that you do not spend more than is needed to achieve that comfort. With that in mind, let us consider five of the most common thermostat-related problems that we encounter at Fraught Service Company in Austin.

1. Poor Placement

Poor placement of your thermostat, which is particularly common in older homes, leads to incorrect readings and thus inefficient energy consumption. Thermostats should be centralized, out of direct sunlight and not too close to any mechanical or other heating or cooling sources.

2. Dirt and Dust

Dust can accumulate within a thermostat unit over time. Manufacturers have taken steps to ward against this, but dust and grime can build up and interfere with the contacts and lead to inaccurate readings. During seasonal tune-ups, your technician will inspect your thermostat and clean it.

3. Inaccurate Readings

Your thermostat can be inaccurate for reasons other than dust buildup. If you still have a mercury-based unit, you are strongly encouraged to upgrade to a modern model. However, even modern models can become inaccurate over time as the sensor module begins to fail.

4. Unoptimized Programming

Programmable thermostats are intended to make your energy consumption as optimized as possible. Yet, many homeowners do not use their programmable units to their full capabilities and even establish settings that can cause them to lose money rather than save it.

5. Miscommunication

There are various reasons that there can be miscommunication between your thermostat and your heating and cooling systems, such as mismatched equipment. The thermostat may seem perfectly fine, but the miscommunication can create undesirable results such as room temperatures never reaching the levels you set.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

Fraught Service Company in Austin can assist you in optimizing your current thermostat or upgrading to a state-of-the-art model. Call us today to learn more about that and our many other services, including heating and cooling installations and repairs, service agreements and energy management.