Did you ever start your shiny new vehicle and then run back into the house to grab your wallet…leaving the vehicle running? While in the house you laid down the key fob, went back out and drove to the store for a gallon of milk. Luckily, you had your wallet to buy the milk but when you came out of the store and tried to start the car you went, “Oh, oh” as you remembered leaving the key fob at the house. Whether it’s cars & trucks, or heating & air conditioning, technology is wonderful. But just like that high tech vehicle is worthless without the key fob, your high tech air conditioner is worthless if there’s a problem with the thermostat on the wall of your Glenwood Springs, Aspen, or Vail, CO home. Your air conditioner creates an oasis of comfort during a hot summer, but a properly functioning thermostat is required to unlock the door to the oasis.
It Takes a Professional
Thermostats are also why Climate Control Company urges you to call an HVAC professional for air conditioning problems. It’s nearly impossible for the untrained person to isolate what’s causing the problem. When it comes to a thermostat, there’s not much a homeowner can do other than changing batteries, if it even has them.
Reasons to Suspect Your Thermostat
Here are some common problems that can be caused by a faulty thermostat:
- Short-cycling: In the HVAC world this is what happens when the AC compressor shuts down before completing the cooling cycle…then turns back on almost immediately and repeats the process. Your thermostat can cause this problem if the temperature sensor is malfunctioning. Please don’t ignore this because short-cycling is really hard on the AC unit, raises electrical bills, and shortens the life expectancy of your air conditioner.
- Uneven cooling: If you are noticing hot spots in your house, usually in the rooms farthest from the air handler, this could mean the air conditioning isn’t running long enough to distribute the cooled air. This can happen when the thermostat isn’t correctly calibrated or has a faulty connection.
- Blower fan won’t start/stop running: This is usually a problem with the wiring in the thermostat or where it’s connected to the air conditioner.
- No cooling at all: If the fan is running but the air coming out of the vents is warm, this could also indicate something has gone wrong to keep the thermostat from communicating properly with the air conditioner.
Again, all these issues can also be caused by problems with the air conditioning system and may not involve the thermostat.
Help is Just a Phone Call Away
A great way to prevent thermostat issues is with regular air conditioning maintenance by Climate Control Company. Our technicians will make sure the thermostat in your Glenwood Springs, Aspen, or Vail, CO home is operating correctly. A professional can often locate problems before they cause your system to shut down on the hottest day of the year. For more great information about how to maintain your oasis of comfort be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter
