Your thermostat, when working properly, runs on a transformer to set and adjust the amount of heat your furnace delivers to your home. Imagine how you might feel one cold winter morning when you adjust your thermostat and nothing happens! Brrr! There are simple ways to troubleshoot your problem, but ultimately you may have more on your hands than you can handle. Let’s look at some simple causes.

Your thermostat unit may have a short, a circuit may have blown or tripped a breaker, or a dusty thermostat unit may be blocked from reading the proper settings. At the heart of the thermostat is the bimetallic coil, a wound strip of metal that expands or contracts under the influence of temperatures. Wouldn’t you be lucky if all you needed to do to get the thermostat working again was to dust off the coil?

You need to eliminate some of the suspects, one-by-one, flipping back the breakers, replacing fuses, or checking your electrical connections.

Beware the Fouled Heat Anticipator

If you open your thermostat, you’ll most likely find a disc connected by a thin wire to the bimetallic coil. When the heat anticipator is adjusted properly, it heats the coil to room temperature so that your furnace won’t keep bursting on and off with minute changes in heat or cold. If it operates too often, it can harm your thermostat or heating unit.

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Make sure that the thermostat box has been mounted on the level. A crooked unit can affect the workings of the coil and heat anticipator.

In most units, the anticipator is connected over a scale printed on the circular disc. By moving the tab to and fro over the temperature settings, you just might free a stuck heat anticipator.

The disc on the anticipator usually has the word “longer” etched or printed on it. For a unit that turns on and off too frequently or fails to reach the temperature set on the thermostat, you should adjust the anticipator arm toward the word “longer” and give it a few hours to see if it solves your dilemma. By using the correct anticipator setting, you conserve energy, by using pre-heated air already in the furnace system to fill your home before additional heat is generated.

If that doesn’t work, you may have to call in an HVAC contractor to snoop out the cause.

It’s cold and windy outside and I’ve been reluctant to do anything that involves leaving my nest of three blankets. So, I’ve got “staying warm” on the brain, and thinking about heat in the home, here are some things to make your life a little warmer.

Fireplaces

There are lots of options for fireplaces. There are gas ones that can turn on with the flick of a switch, or more traditional wood burning ones. Some have wood mantels, others are stone or brick. There is a fireplace to fit any home.  You can have one added, or of course, you can rework the one you’ve already got. Instead of talking about a prefectly placed mantel, I’m just going to share a lovely example of fireplace perfection, it’s like I’ve reached HVAC nirvana…

(Via Martha Stewart)

The Luxury of Warmth:

If you love being warm, then adding heating components to often cold places might interest you. I mentioned in an earlier post about a towel warming drawer,  but you can also add radiant flooring, or heated towel racks to your bathroom. Cold feet in winter would be a thing of the past by adding radiant tiles which heat the floor underneath your feet. Warming racks are less of expensive than the truly luxurious towel warming drawer, but, are a great addition to make your bathroom feel more cozy. Plus, they could be an easy DIY project on a rainy weekend.

Heating Systems:

The debate continues on electric versus gas, but there is no question having a modern HVAC system will ensure that you stay warm and save money. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, this may be the year to consider it. You can program your heat to kick up when you’re at home and lower when you’re gone. You can save 2% on your heating bill for each degree lower you go on your thermostat, so by having it lower when you’re away, you are saving money!

Of course, the first thing I want to do when the fall chill comes along is run out and get a gorgeous new pair of boots and a snuggly winter coat, but making the inside of your home as cozy as possible will likely have a longer lasting impact than the season’s winter wardrobe.

Need more advice on all things HVAC? Check out our other HVAC resources, or, start your HVAC project with free estimates from local professionals.