Let’s talk about the ‘T’ word…thermostat. That unassuming device on the wall of your Steger, IL or Crown Point, IN home is like the doorway to comfort. Your air conditioner creates a real-world version of the luxurious Garden of Eden, but if the door to the garden is locked it doesn’t do you any good. Your thermostat is what unlocks the doorway to an oasis of comfort during the heat and humidity of an Illinois or Northwest Indiana summer.
It Takes a Professional
Thermostats are also why Merts Heating & Air Conditioning urges you to call an HVAC professional for air conditioner maintenance and repair. When something is wrong with a thermostat it’s hard for an untrained person to isolate what’s causing the problem. Other than changing batteries in a thermostat that has them, the average homeowner is likely to do more harm than good by opening up and fiddling around with a thermostat.
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 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 compressor, 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 AC isn’t running long enough to distribute the cooled air and 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 connecting the thermostat 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 of these issues can be caused by other problems requiring air conditioner maintenance or repair and may not involve the thermostat.
Help is Just a Phone Call Away
When you have any problems keeping your Steger, IL or Crown Point, IN Garden of Eden cool and comfortable, call Merts Heating & Air Conditioning for help. If it is your thermostat, we will fix it or replace it, but always remember the best way to prevent any cooling problem is with regular air conditioner maintenance. Learn more about the services offered by Merts by liking and following us on Facebook and Twitter.