Thermostats don’t have a set lifespan but on average, high quality, properly maintained thermostats last for up to 10 years. Like your furnace, most thermostats won’t come to an abrupt stop—most will give you signs that they are on their last leg and it’s up to you to replace them before they grind to a stop and you come home to a chilly house.
Signs it’s time to replace your thermostat
Wondering when to replace home thermostat? Here are signs to look out for as given by furnace repair services provider:
Inaccurate thermostat display
Every thermostat has a display that shows the current temperature. If you have a home thermometer and it’s giving a different reading from the thermostat, it means one is not working properly.
To tell which one is correct, get another home thermometer and measure the house temperature. If the temperature is similar to that of the first thermometer, there is something wrong with your thermostat and it’s time to get a new one.
Thermostat buttons aren’t working
Unless you have a fancy thermostat, your thermostat has buttons you use for programming. If you push the buttons and they aren’t working, it’s a clear sign the thermostat is on its deathbed and you should move with haste and get a new one.
The thermostat is old
How many years have you had the thermostat? If it’s more than 10 years and the thermostat has begun to malfunction, it’s time to get a new one.
You should note that the thermostat might be less than10 years but it’s developing problems. If this has been the case, look whether the thermostat has a needle and if it has one, get a new one as anything with a needle is old and not worth fixing.
Your energy bill has been going up month after month
If your monthly energy bill has been on an upward trend and you have tried to find the source of the problem without success, chances are it’s due to a faulty thermostat. The faulty appliance might be overworking the furnace, hence the high energy bill.
The temperature keeps shifting
A faulty thermostat has a hard time maintaining constant temperature, so if yours keeps on shifting, it’s time to think about getting a new one.
The thermostat doesn’t respond to temperature changes
For a comfortable house, set the thermostat to your preferred temperature. In a properly functioning thermostat, the thermostat should respond immediately you set your preferred temperature.
If the thermostat doesn’t respond to the changes, it means there is something extremely wrong with the appliance and it’s time to look into it and even replace it.
Troubleshooting a faulty thermostat
While some issues might mean it’s time to replace the thermostat, other issues are simple and you can fix them by doing simple things.
For example, if the thermostat isn’t working, you can try replacing the batteries. Modern appliances rely on battery power to operate so if the thermostat screen is blank or unlighted, replacing the battery can solve the problem.
Change the batteries and recheck the function of your heating system to ensure everything is working properly.
The workings of your thermostat can be heavily affected by the location of your thermostat. Have you placed the thermostat in direct sunlight? It might be reporting that it’s hotter than it is, hence you have a colder house all the time.
If there are large holes or openings behind the thermostat, they might trigger the thermostat to report that it’s colder than it is, hence overworking the furnace.
Have you been setting the thermostat, and the furnace doesn’t seem to be responding to the settings? Chances are there is no power getting to the furnace due to tripped circuit breakers.
Look for the breakers of your heating system and confirm whether they have tripped. If they have, restore them and you will have a perfect working furnace.
How to replace a thermostat
If you have done your troubleshooting and you have confirmed you have no other way out other than to replace the thermostat, you should go ahead and do it.
All you need to do is to head to your nearest store and buy a high-quality thermostat. Remove the old appliance and replace it with a new one.
The cool thing is you can troubleshoot the thermostat on your own without involving a heating service repair Tyson’s Corner. Only involve the repair professional if you have tried troubleshooting without success.
