A thermostat maintenance cover that’s improperly installed or inadvertently bumped can cause the heater or air conditioner to fail to start. Or the thermostat base may slip out of level, causing it to operate incorrectly. A far more common problem, however, is dirt. Dirt can affect the thermostat’s calibration and interfere with its operation. If a thermostat set for 70 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, is really maintaining the temperature at 73 degrees Fahrenheit, the additional energy used can increase your fuel bill by as much as 7 percent. To prevent this, check your thermostat for accuracy every year before the heating season begins.
Tips For Thermostat Maintenance
Adjusting the anticipatory
- A thermostat’s heat anticipatory tells it to shut off the furnace or boiler a little early, allowing residual heat to keep room temperature at the desired level.
- If your heating system cycles on and off too often (or not often enough), a few pokes at the anticipatory ought to solve the problem.
- Access the inside of the thermostat and nudge the anticipatory pointer toward a higher setting on its scale if the system is cycling too often; adjust the other way if it isn’t cycling often enough.
Remove old thermostat
Take face plate off old unit, and look for mounting screws. Remove screws to release thermostat from wall. Remove wires from back of old thermostat by turning connection screws counterclockwise. Be careful not to let loose wires fall down between walls.
Test your thermometer every fall
- The only way you’re going to get the temperature in your home just to your liking is to make sure that the thermostat’s thermometer is accurate.
- Every fall, before the heating season begins, do this simple test: Tape a household thermometer (one that you know is accurate) to the wall next to the thermostat. Give the thermometer about 15 minutes to settle on its temperature reading, and then compare that reading to the thermostat’s.
- If the difference between the two is more than five degrees, re calibrate your thermostat.
If variation is more than a degree
check to see if thermostat is dirty. To examine thermostat, remove face plate, usually held by a snap or friction catch. Blow away any dust inside it. Do not use a vacuum cleaner; its suction is too great. If thermostat has accessible contact points, rub new dollar bill between them to clean these spots. Do not use sandpaper or emery cloth. If element is coiled, use soft brush for cleaning.
