The thermostat is like the control centre for your central heating – it tells the boiler when it is required to heat and to what temperature. But if the thermostat is reading the wrong temperature, the temperature you set may not be the actual temperature in your house which can lead to unnecessary costs. But how do you know if the thermostat is malfunctioning and what can you do about it?
Basics of a thermostat
There are two main types of thermostats – older electromechanical versions and more modern electronic ones. The older electromechanical thermostats use a strip of two metal joined together under the cover in a coil. These expand or contract with different temperatures, activating one side or the other of the thermostat to tell the boiler to heat or cool.
Modern types of thermostat are electronic, and these have given rise to the most modern; the smart thermostat. In a standard electronic thermostat, you set the temperature and the device operates the heating system to reach the desired temperature. You can have different settings for different times of the day or have a day and night setting. You can find out more about smart thermostats in our blog.
Problems with a thermostat
Older mechanical thermostats often don’t match the room temperature and should only be used as a guide. Some may have delays in switching on, in which case do check multiple times if you are concerned the thermostat is reading wrong.
The majority of homes now, however, have some kind of electronic thermostat in place, so we’ll focus our attention on these. One of the most common problems with them is that the room temperature and the setting don’t match – either the levels are too high or too low.
There can be a number of reasons for this. Sometimes it is something as simple as the batteries running out and needing to be replaced – this usually involves removing the unit from the wall to access the rear and replacing them.
Another common reason is location. If the thermostat is new or has been moved, then check you have chosen an optimum location. For example, if it gets a lot of direct sunlight, this will raise the temperature and make it think that it doesn’t need to heat. Also check there’s no corrosion or dirt and dust inside the thermostat which could also cause wrong readings.
Confirming the problem
You can easily decide if the thermostat isn’t working properly by getting a normal room thermometer and placing it in the room. Left for a little while, this will tell you the temperature in the room and you can compare this with the setting on the thermostat. If the two don’t match but say they do, then there’s a problem.
If you have problems with your thermostat, you can easily call DHS to look at it and find the root of the issue. If it is a location problem, we can sort this and if it is something bigger then we can help with a replacement thermostat to get your home to a comfortable, steady temperature once more.
If you’d like to find out more about smart heating options or discuss central heating for your home, contact DHS today on 0117 924 7200, email us, or request a call back. DHS are NEST approved thermostat installers.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
