Thermostats are built to be reliable and durable. However, a thermostat may become faulty, causing your house’s interior temperature to be warmer than your desired setting. Also, if a faulty thermostat is not reset in time, it may lead to a sudden failure of your home’s HVAC system.
Therefore, it is important to reset your thermostat from time to time, especially if it fails to regulate temperatures or it stops working for reasons other than the power supply. A complete factory reset is also necessary if your thermostat does not work even after a battery change. A reset will resolve connection and HVAC system issues, as well as programming problems.
Here are the steps you should follow to learn how to reset your thermostat.
Establish the Type of Thermostat you are Dealing With
There are different types of thermostats on the market. Each thermostat has its way of being reset. Therefore, the first step in resetting a thermostat is to know the type of thermostat you are dealing with.
The various types of thermostats include programmable, electronic, non-programmable, and mechanical. You can get the best results in resetting a thermostat by reading the directions given. Also, establish if your thermostat is digital or analog.
You should also be sure if your thermostat requires batteries or is batteryless. This knowledge will help you determine if you can reset your thermostat by yourself or if you will need to call an expert.
1. Resetting a Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat reset involves a simple battery change. Begin by turning off your thermostat. This is done by switching the thermostat to the “OFF” position.
Thereafter, open the thermostat’s battery door. You can use a coin to do this or anything else with a slender or sharp tip. Most thermostats are usually attached to a wall meaning that the thermostat’s battery door, which is located in the rear, is hidden from you. Therefore, you will have to detach the equipment from the wall first before taking the batteries out.
After removing the batteries, insert them back. But this time, make sure the batteries sit backward such that the negative terminals line up to the positive terminals. Let them stay there for five seconds before removing them and placing them back again in the correct alignment.
Check if the thermostat’s display is turned on. If it does, then the resetting of your thermostat has been successful. Be sure to test if resetting the thermostat has fixed the programming, HVAC, and connection issues.
2. Resetting an Air Conditioner Thermostat
If you do not know how to reset an AC thermostat, you should not worry too much. You can master the process and do it on your own without the help of an expert. Begin by shutting down the air conditioner unit.
Ensure the thermostat is switched to the “OFF” position. This is necessary to avoid any electrical hazards.
After this, find your main breaker box. Also, locate the control unit for the air conditioning. The work of the circuit breaker is to cut off the electrical supply to the HVAC system and other items. It is well-labeled such that each circuit controls specific equipment.
Switch the circuit that controls your home’s HVAC system to the “OFF” position. After 30 seconds, turn the air conditioning circuit breaker to the “ON” position.
Once you are done with this, go back to the HVAC’s thermostat and put it back in the “ON” position. You can now turn on your HVAC system to test if it is working properly. For example, you can try selecting the temperature you want, either cooler or warmer, and see the response.
This method comes in handy, especially if you want to know how to reset an air conditioner thermostat in cases where its function has been hampered by unexpected power cutoffs or a tripped breaker.
3. Resetting Electronic Thermostat
The electronic thermostats are different from most because they lack a digital display. Their source of power is an electric furnace or baseboard heating. So, if your HVAC system is controlled by an electronic thermostat, you need a different approach to the ones described above.
Often, dirt and other debris may be responsible for the malfunctioning. Therefore, resetting the thermostat is very simple as it only involves a thorough cleaning of its components.
To reset the thermostat, start by uncovering it. Find a soft brush and thoroughly clean the interior of the equipment. You can also use a vacuum to remove the debris or built-up dust, especially in the hidden areas. Once this is done, you can now reset the thermostat by testing its various settings.
Start by setting the equipment to its minimum cooling setting. Proceed to clean the internal components once more.
Set the thermostat to the maximum heating setting and clean the thermostat’s coil once again.
Once this process is complete, you can now reset the thermostat to the desired setting for normal function.
4. Resetting a Mechanical Thermostat
Mechanical thermostats are easy to identify because they are mechanically operated, thus, not programmable. They are turned on, set, and switched off manually. Furthermore, they do not run on batteries, so they require the occasional resetting of the circuit breaker.
Launch the process of resetting a thermostat by turning it off. This is simply done by switching the equipment to the “OFF” position. Also, locate the circuit breaker that supplies electricity to your home’s HVAC system and set it to the “OFF” position.
You will wait for half a minute before switching the thermostat back to the “ON” position. Once the circuit breaker is on, turn back to the thermostat and switch it on. The reset is now complete and your thermostat should be working properly.
Sometimes, you may also find a digital thermostat that, as a mechanical thermostat, is non-programmable. Resetting it is slightly different but very simple. You can either remove the equipment’s batteries for five seconds or press its reset button also for five seconds. Afterward, you can check to see whether normal function is restored.
