August 4, 2022

Have you even been woken up in the middle of the night because you are too cold? What about getting out of bed because you are much too hot? Both of these things can be directly caused by your thermostat. Your Marin, Sonoma, or Napa County home’s thermostat controls your home and family’s comfort level more than you may even realize. There are indications that it is time to your replace your thermostat, and they should not be ignored. Is your thermostat in need of replacement?

Is Your Thermostat in Need of Replacement?

Having the right and a functional thermostat, can save you around 10% a year on heating and cooling costs, so it is important to know if your thermostat is in need of replacement.

Around 90% of American households have HVAC, and, as stated above, the thermostat is one of the key components to a HVAC system. Your thermostat is a regulating device component, of your HVAC. To put it simply, your HVAC’s thermostat is the central control center of your home’s heating and cooling system. It's the thing that determines when and how much hot or cold air to deliver throughout your home.

Because we know how important it is for you and your family to enjoy the temperatures within your North Bay Area home, we are going to review some signs that your thermostat is in need of replacement.

• Thermostat Will Not Respond or Adjust: An easy way to tell if your thermostat needs replaced, is if it stops changing settings or will not respond when you are adjusting it. When you adjust temperature settings on your thermostat, it should promptly respond to those changes. If your HVAC system doesn’t come on immediately when you make adjustments, there is likely an issue with the thermostat.
• Outdated and Past its Prime: As with everything, your thermostat can become outdated, with a typical lifespan of around a decade. If you know yours is nearing the end of its prime, it could be time to replace it. If you have a standard thermostat, think about upgrading to newer technology. You can save at minimal 10% a year on heating and cooling costs by having a programmable thermostat. This type of thermostat allows you to adjust the times you turn on the heating or cooling in your Novato home by having a pre-set schedule.
• HVAC System is Erratically Turning Off and On: If you have noticed that your HVAC system has starting randomly turning off and on, with what appears to be no reason at all, your thermostat could be in need of replacement. It is very likely that the thermostat has a problem if your HVAC system has stopped taking the thermostat cues. The wiring inside your thermostat can become damaged or frayed, or there could be another issue.
• Incorrect Temperatures Displayed: If your home’s thermostat is not reading the temperature of your home correctly, that can make for a less than desirable and uncomfortable environment. If you notice that your home feels much warmer or cooler than the thermostat is indicating, there could be a problem. To check whether the temperature is correct, you can test the thermostat’s reading with a portable indoor thermometer.
• Inconsistent Temperatures: If your thermostat needs replaced, it may start having a difficult time maintaining settings and temperatures, as mentioned above. If you have noticed that the temperature in your home is continuously changing for no reason and with no warning, your thermostat could be going bad. Keep an eye on it and if it continues to happens, contact a local HVAC professional to help you diagnose the issue.

 

It’s important to note, for all of the issues above, if your thermostat runs on batteries, the first step to troubleshooting any issue, should be to replace the batteries with a new. If that doesn’t work, your thermostat is likely in need of replacement.

Your North Bay Area home’s thermostat is key to keeping you and your family comfortable all year round. If you suspect yours needs replaced or have another issue with your HVAC system, call in a local HVAC professional.

At Bragg Home Services & Heating we know that HVAC problems can happen at any time and often require immediate attention. We’re available to provide fast same-day HVAC service throughout Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties at no extra charge. Contact us for your heating and cooling needs.