Is the Thermostat Causing Your Cooling Trouble?
Imagine the following scenario: You’ve switched on the air conditioner and felt the relief from the heat. But that relief is not as incredible as it could be. You’re wondering why your home cooling system doesn’t seem to be working as efficiently when it has been piping hot outside all day. You flip on the thermostat and notice it is set as usual, but it’s still blazing hot inside — maybe even hotter! It can get frustrating, especially if that summer heat doesn’t seem to relent anytime soon. It can seem like a never-ending battle trying to determine why the thermostat is disrupting your cool airflow.
If you are experiencing frequent cooling troubles, you may be tempted to blame the weather or your HVAC unit itself and call for an air conditioning repair service. But before you jump to any conclusions, take a look at these 7 thermostat common culprits known to throw a wrench into even the best of cooling systems:
1.It Isn’t a Programmable Model
If your thermostat isn’t programmable, it won’t have any way of knowing when you’re home or away, and therefore, won’t know when to turn on or off. If this is the case, you may notice that it doesn’t automatically adjust itself as expected. If you don’t set it manually, your system will never adjust the temperatures during the day while you’re gone. To fix this, you can hire a licensed air conditioning repair service company in Rocklin to get a modern thermostat!
Conversely, if you have got a programmable one and are still having cooling troubles, it could be because you haven’t adequately programmed it yet or haven’t set it up correctly.
2.The Batteries Need to be Replaced
A very lightweight reason for an air conditioning system failing to work is that the batteries inside the thermostat have died. The batteries in your thermostat can run out over time, so make sure to replace them before they cause any issues with your AC system.
If your thermostat goes completely dead, it won’t be able to function, and as a result, your AC unit will not know how to run. It is especially true if you have had the AC for some time and have not serviced it in over five years. If the thermostat does not have a light or an icon showing low battery power, you will need to replace them anyway. The same can quickly be done by removing the cover plate from the back of the thermostat and replacing them with new ones of the same type.
3.Your Thermostat’s C-Wire is Loose
Thermostats have a wire that runs from it to the compressor of your AC unit, called a C-Wire (common wire). If this wire is loose or damaged, it will prevent your thermostat from communicating with your air conditioner.
This could cause faulty readings on your display screen and other issues like high energy bills or poor performance from your HVAC unit. If this might be the issue, you should call for a professional air conditioning repair service as soon as possible to fix it.
4.The Thermostat is Not Calibrated Correctly
When you notice that your AC cooling system isn’t working effectively even though it’s set at 75 degrees Fahrenheit or above, there’s a good chance that your thermostat needs calibration.
The easiest way to troubleshoot this one is to look at your manual, which should have instructions on calibrating the thermostat in case of any issues. If you don’t have a manual, call the manufacturer or search online for step-by-step instructions on how to do this yourself. Or you can hire your local air conditioning repair service expert to do the job for you.
5.The Thermostat is Set Incorrectly
It is estimated that over half a million cooling systems in the US optimally work because they use thermostats in a specific way. Your thermostat needs to be programmed with information about your home’s size, location, and insulation value — but this information is often incorrect. If your house isn’t 1,500 square feet or located in an area where it gets very cold in the winter, the AC will be trying to work harder than it needs to.
This leads to higher energy bills, poor cooling, and more wear-and-tear on your unit. To fix this, ensure you’ve set up all the correct settings and try adjusting the temperature on your thermostat. However, if your AC system is still not cooling enough or isn’t working, contact an air conditioning repair service technician to visit and inspect your AC.
6.You’ve Set Your Fan to “Auto”
Many people don’t know they have a fan mode option on their thermostats. As a result, they often misuse this setting by thinking it means “automatic.” However, this setting isn’t automatic at all! It simply allows the fan to turn on and off as needed without affecting the temperature settings in your home (provided that there isn’t also an auxiliary switch installed). For your unit to work properly, you have to turn off the airflow from inside and set the actual temperature at which you want the home cooled down. It can be done through a wall-mounted thermostat or a remote-control app on your phone or tablet if the unit has built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.
7.The Thermostat is Set on ‘Heat’
As obvious as this last one might seem, often a user does not realize that their thermostat is set to “heat”, causing their cooling issues.
Your air conditioning system only works when it’s set to ‘cool,’ and your heating system only works when it’s set to ‘heat.’ You will need to correct your settings if you’ve accidentally changed them while trying to adjust them. All you have to do is reset them back to regular operation by pressing and holding down the mode button until all modes are displayed on the screen and then pressing “Cooling” or “Heating” mode until it says “Off.”
Are you having cooling troubles with your AC unit and looking for quality yet affordable air conditioning repair services in Rocklin? Qualified technicians from South Placer Heating and Air can help your unit perform at optimal levels again. Call (916)246-2089 to book your repair or tune-up service.
