Your air conditioner should continue to run until the temperature in the room meets the temperature displayed on the thermostat. Once this goal is achieved, the air conditioner shuts off until the temperature in the room begins to rise again. So when the air conditioner does not switch on automatically, what’s the first thing most homeowners check? The thermostat.
The thermostat has an immense responsibility in keeping your home cool. However, the thermostat is not always the reason for your home air conditioning problems. Whether turning the temperature down a few more notches helps to kick it back into gear, or if the AC won’t turn on whatsoever, something is keeping the air conditioning system from performing properly—and you should always have a professional come check it out.
Common Thermostat Issues
While reduced cooling, short cycling or a broken-down system could result from a number of internal problems with the system itself, the following are some common thermostat issues.
- Miscalibration – Over time, an older thermostat may become miscalibrated. A professional may be able to correct this, or you may simply need a replacement.
- Dirt – Dirt on the thermostat can prevent it from getting an accurate reading, leading to a lack of cooling power and frequent starting and stopping of the air conditioner, which can wear down key parts and use up a lot of energy.
- Faulty Wiring – Faulty thermostat wiring may lead the air conditioning system to short cycle. This extra wear and tear can force the compressor—one of the most important parts of your AC—to fail much sooner than expected.
- Inaccuracy – Inaccurate readings especially affect older manual thermostats, since it is very difficult to tell whether the dial or slider is set to the desired temperature. This causes family members to readjust the thermostat often, raising your energy bills—not to mention the energy wasted when you are unable to take advantage of advanced programming options. Consider a new digital thermostat for greater accuracy.
Call the professional technicians at Air On Demand to assess your system and determine whether the thermostat is at fault, or if you are in need of immediate AC repair in Miami, FL.