You know you set it before you left for work and now that you’re home, you’ve noticed the house still isn’t at a comfortable temperature. You recently had a check-up on your HVAC system and all looked great – so what could possibly be the problem? You may be thinking, “the thermostat MUST be broken,” and that’s not a bad place to start. After all, issues with a thermostat could cause the entire system to be thrown out of whack.

So, how can you tell if your thermostat is in fact, malfunctioning – or not working at all? Follow the steps below:

Play around with the temperature setting once more. Try setting it 5 degrees lower (during the summer, higher during the winter) than it’s currently set to and give it a few hours to operate. If, after 2-3 hours, the temperature in the house hasn’t changed, go on to Step 2.
Make sure it’s set to the correct setting. Somebody may have messed around and flipped the switch from “Cool” to “Heat” or vice versa. Still no luck? Move on to Step 3.
Turn the power off to your heating or cooling system at the source. This means heading over to your main breaker and flipping the circuit switch. Once the power is completely off, move on to Step 4.
Remove the cover of the thermostat (it should come loose by hand – tools typically aren’t required) and then check out the wires. Make sure all wires are attached securely and tighten all mounting screws. Then move on to Step 5.
Turn the breakers back on and then head back to the thermostat and repeat Step 1. If the system STILL doesn’t kick on, or you still don’t see anything showing on the thermostat, it’s time to call in a professional.

That’s where we come in! We provide expert residential heating and air conditioning installation, service and repair in Southfield and the surrounding neighborhoods of Michigan. Give us a call today at 248-356-1680 to speak with our staff or to schedule an appointment.