- trouble shooting a furnace thermostat
Need some help trouble shooting your furnace thermostat? The furnace thermostat is one of the first things we check when you are having problems with your gas furnace.
A thermostat controls how much heat will be produced by the furnace and when the heat is produced. When the furnace fails to meet the temperature set by the thermostat, this could be one of several issues.
The first thing to check is if the thermostat is level on the wall, it can affect the automatic turning on and off of the furnace. The thermostat will need to be remounted on the wall if it’s not level. To do this, take off the cover of the thermostat and loosen the screws attaching it to the wall. Make sure the thermostat is level and reattach the thermostat with the screws.
The next issue to trouble shoot is the heat anticipator setting. The heat anticipator is inside the thermostat and it controls when the furnace turns off. When this is not functioning properly the furnace will either run too long or not long enough. Adjusting the heat anticipator, which is a little device that looks like a disc located underneath the thermostat cover, could fix the problem. If not, it’s time to call your local heating contractor.
Last, but not least, the problem could be with the thermostat. If the thermostat is digital, check to make sure the batteries are not dead. If the thermostat is dirty this could be the problem. When the bimetallic coil and the switch contact surfaces get buildup on them, it makes the thermostat unable to communicate with the rest of the system. To clean the thermostat, spray the bimetallic coil with a compressed air canister (the type used to clean keyboards) at the lowest set temperature and at the highest set temperature. After cleaning, set the thermostat to the desired temperature and put the thermostat cover back on.
If the problem still persists, you may have loose or disconnected wires. Check for loose wires inside the thermostat and on top of the furnace. If you see anything that looks out of order, call a local heating contractor. This is not a job for do it yourself-ers!
