If you’ve turned on the thermostat to find that the air conditioner won’t run when it’s supposed to, you need to do some troubleshooting. Sometimes the problem is that the thermostat itself won’t turn on. But other issues go deeper than that. The thermostat may turn on, but it won’t make the air conditioner turn on. Four reasons in particular are behind most thermostat malfunctions.

1. Replace the Batteries First

If the thermostat isn’t turning on at all, check the batteries inside. Most brands of thermostats display low-battery warnings. However, they’re easy to miss if you have a programmable thermostat that you tend to leave alone. Change the batteries and see whether the thermostat turns on again.

2. Ensure the Thermostat Is Set to Cool

Different thermostats place controls on different screens. The layouts can be different, and the process you use to reach each screen can be different. If you’ve gotten a new thermostat, ensure you’re looking in the correct place for the air conditioner controls. You may be searching for the wrong screens and turning on the fan, but not the air conditioner. Or, you may have accidentally turned on the heater.

3. Check Pre-Programmed Settings

If the thermostat itself appears to function well, but the air conditioner still isn’t turning on, look at the programming. It’s possible someone else in the household created a program that makes the air conditioner come on at a temperature that’s too warm for you. It’s also possible that you accidentally set the thermostat to follow an older program that you’d stopped using. Clear programs or change the thermostat to manual control.

4. Look for Tripped Breaker Switches

One potential cause, if you still can’t get the air conditioner to turn on when the thermostat is at the right temperature, is the circuit breaker. The breaker may have tripped due to a power surge. Try resetting the breaker, and see if that helps. If the air conditioner still won’t turn on, or if the breaker trips again, that indicates that there’s an electrical problem. You’ll need to have an electrician address that before you try to turn on the air conditioner again.

Much of the trouble that people experience with a thermostat is due to simple issues like batteries. Other causes may need the help of an electrician. If nothing you do seems to work, then you’ll need to call an HVAC technician to see what’s going on with the thermostat. The good news is that most problems are fixable. If you have concerns or require thermostat services, contact E Dennis AC in Newnan, GA.