We Provide Home Thermostat Help in Frisco, TX

Determining if Your Thermostat Is Causing Issues

Your home might not feel as comfortable as it used to. You might get a chill inside during the winter or feel hot as the summer sun beats down on your roof. A fully functional HVAC system should be able to keep up with the changing temperatures and provide enough cool or warm air to maintain a continuously comfortable temperature in your rooms. If the temperature is not staying consistent or meeting your needs, the problem might be with your thermostat. Air Masters is an HVAC specialist in Frisco, TX that handles home thermostats of all types in McKinney, Allen, Plano, and many other communities. Our professional team can evaluate your system’s performance and figure out whether the thermostat is the problem. It might be outdated or failing, which directly affects your HVAC system’s ability to keep your home comfortable without skyrocketing your energy bills. We have also provided useful information to help you understand how your thermostat might be an issue and if you need to replace it.

Signs You Have a Problem With Your Home Thermostat

A bad thermostat can ruin your comfort by throwing off your home’s temperature. This essential device lets you set the desired temperature for your heating or air conditioning unit to achieve, and it typically reads the current interior temperature. When something is wrong with the home thermostat, your system might use more energy while failing to meet your environmental needs. Thermostats only last for so long before they decline in performance or are outdated. Upgrading to a newer device, such as a smart thermostat, might be all you need to restore consistent indoor comfort. Air Masters will gladly install a new model from one of many reputable dealers, including a Trane® or Carrier® thermostat. There are signs you can watch out for that may indicate it is time to upgrade your older device, including any of the following examples:

Your thermostat does not respond when you try to use it, or there is a long delay.
The temperature on your thermostat is always incorrect, resulting in an uncomfortable indoor environment.
You recently upgraded your heating or air conditioning unit but did not do the same with your thermostat.
Your home still has an older dial or slider thermostat.

How Long Does a Home Thermostat Last?

Thermostats do not have a set lifespan, and different models will vary in their efficacy. However, the typical time a home thermostat will last is at least 10 years on average. After a decade passes, your device might start malfunctioning because of issues like dust accumulation or aging wiring. The resulting HVAC problems that follow can be severe and cost you money and comfort if you do not upgrade your thermostat. Let the professionals at Air Masters check your system to determine if you have a bad thermostat whenever you experience any of the following problems:

Your thermostat is unresponsive or has no power. If you adjust the thermostat and the room temperature does not change, or the display is unresponsive or not lit, you might need to replace the batteries. The thermostat might also be broken with these problems.
Your air conditioning or heating unit will not turn on. Your thermostat might have a wiring defect preventing signals from being sent to your heating or cooling system.
The air conditioning or heating is constantly running and will not turn off. When this issue happens, it may be due to frayed wiring or a miscalibrated thermostat.
The setting on your thermostat does not match the room temperature. Different room temperatures are a subtle sign that your thermostat may be broken. Homes that are zoned normally have different room temperatures, but for homes that haven’t been zoned, temperature fluctuations in various rooms could be because of a faulty thermostat.

Steps to Troubleshoot Your Thermostat Issues

If you notice any of the problems mentioned in the section above, you might be able to resolve them with simple troubleshooting techniques. If troubleshooting does not fix the issue, Air Masters will gladly perform repairs or a thermostat replacement. Follow these steps for a bad thermostat:

Step One: Verify the Thermostat Is on the Correct Setting – Check to see if your thermostat is set on “heat” during the winter or “cool” during the summer. If you set the thermostat to “on,” your heating or air conditioning unit will run constantly. Setting it to “auto” keeps your system from running nonstop.
Step Two: Adjust the Thermostat Up or Down by Five Degrees – During the summer, set the temperature lower than normal by five degrees. If it is winter, set the temperature five degrees higher. You should hear a click, followed by air blowing out of your supply registers or air getting sucked into your return vents.
Step Three: Replace the Batteries if Your Thermostat Is Electronic – Try switching out the batteries in a digital thermostat for fresh, fully-charged ones. Every year, you should replace your digital thermostat’s batteries.
Step Four: Clean a Mechanical Thermostat – A mechanical thermostat has a little lever to move the temperature, which can malfunction when dust collects. Remove the thermostat cover and use a small cloth or brush to dust the inside.
Step Five: Check Wires and Wire Connections – Remove the thermostat cover and check if the wires are firmly connected to their respective mounting screw. If your wires are all firmly connected, and the thermostat does not work properly, you need our professional assistance.

What Should I Set My Thermostat at When I’m Not Home?

After upgrading your thermostat, you should enjoy consistent temperatures in your home again while saving energy. However, to reduce your utility bills while away from your home, your thermostat does not have to stay at the same setting as when you stay in. Many smart thermostats will let you program your temperature settings for different temperatures when you are at work or otherwise not occupying your house. This convenient feature is a compelling reason to upgrade to a newer Carrier® or Trane® thermostat. The best temperature to set your thermostat when you are at home during the winter is 68 degrees, and when you are away from home for more than four hours, turn it down by five degrees. You go the other direction in the summer and turn your thermostat up by five degrees while away for over four hours. If you are gone for an extended time, such as a long trip or any other reason to leave your home vacant for more than three days, we recommend turning the temperature down to 50 to 55 degrees in the winter or 85 to 90 degrees in the summer. You can also turn off your air conditioner during the summer.

The Benefits of Upgrading Your HVAC System’s Thermostat

Whether you have an older device that does not provide the convenience you need or a malfunctioning model impacting your home’s comfort, a thermostat upgrade offers many benefits. You can save on energy costs and enjoy consistent temperatures in your home as a newer thermostat efficiently runs your heater and air conditioner throughout the year. A programmable thermostat will suffice and let you set your temperature with ease, but a smart thermostat offers you various advantages with which simpler models cannot compete. Some of the most significant advantages include the following:

Minimize Your Energy Costs

Energy cost savings are one of the biggest reasons people invest in smart thermostats. You use less energy by scheduling your HVAC system to run less and cool your home only when you are there. Set your thermostat so that it achieves an ideal temperature right before people are scheduled to arrive.

Track the Energy Your System Uses

Another useful feature of smart digital thermostats is their ability to track your energy usage. Building a home energy profile provides helpful information, including how your energy usage changes over time, how it will probably affect your future energy costs, and how to decrease your energy costs by adjusting your heating and cooling preferences.

Control Temperatures Remotely

Smart thermostats work by Wi-Fi connection, letting you control your home’s temperature remotely. You can adjust your cooling schedule if you are returning home early simply by logging into your thermostat app. Using the same app, keep your home warmer while you and your family are on vacation. You can also receive alerts from your thermostat, letting you know if your home’s temperature has dropped or risen from your set limits.

Easily Set a Schedule

If you worry about how difficult it will be to program a digital thermostat, the good news is setting a schedule is simpler than other options. Most smart thermostats use movement detectors to tell when people are home and active. The thermostat learns your family’s movement patterns over time, and many models can adjust a schedule to heat and cool your home according to seasonal changes. Many thermostats will monitor weather and heat or cool your home sufficiently during heat waves and cold snaps.

Enjoy Easy Installation

If you have the right thermostat wiring, installing a smart thermostat can be easy. You need a thermostat C wire, which is marked with a C or the word “common.” Other wires you will need include those marked with a W, R, Rh, or Rc. With these wires, we can install your smart thermostat while following the manufacturer’s instructions. During your installation, we cut the power to your thermostat, remove the old device, connect your new smart thermostat to the wires, install the faceplate, restore power, and program the new device.

Contact Air Masters in Frisco, TX to Schedule Service

If your thermostat is causing problems with your home’s heating and cooling, Air Masters will gladly examine your system and assess the work it needs to restore optimal performance. Replacing and upgrading your thermostat can save you from uncomfortable indoor temperatures and reduce your energy bills. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you and schedule service at your home.

Is Your Thermostat the Problem?