Thermostat Not Working

When a thermostat quits, the equipment underneath it may be perfectly healthy and simply never told to run, and a call is the fastest way to find out.

Tap to CallNumber arriving soon

When this becomes an emergency

The thermostat is blank and pressing the buttons does nothing.
The heat comes on at odd hours that match no schedule anyone set.
One zone's thermostat responds and another zone's is dead.
The reading has drifted well away from what a separate thermometer shows.

What a pro does

Batteries and a blown control fuse cover most blank displays, and both get eliminated in the first few minutes. The next step is proving the signal path, which a technician does at the equipment rather than at the wall, checking whether the heat runs with the thermostat taken out of the picture entirely. That answers the question fast. Multi-zone systems get compared against each other, since a dead zone alongside working ones usually means a zone valve, its end switch, or the wiring to it rather than a thermostat at all. Drifting readings are usually about the sensor's surroundings, and old houses with cold exterior walls put plenty of thermostats in a spot that reads several degrees off what the room actually feels like.

Frequently asked questions

One zone works and another doesn't. Is the thermostat to blame?

Not usually. With multiple zones the more likely suspects are the zone valve, its end switch, or the wire running to it, all of which are checked before a thermostat is replaced.

Why does the heat come on when nothing asked for it?

A shorted wire or a stuck relay can hold the equipment in a permanent call for heat, and neither one has anything to do with what the thermostat is displaying.

Is there a control fuse that can blow?

There is, on most systems, and it protects the low-voltage circuit. A pinched wire touching metal will take it out and leave the thermostat completely dark.

Would a new thermostat fix a reading that's off?

Only if the old one is genuinely faulty. If the problem is where it hangs, a new unit in the same spot on the same cold wall will read the same way the old one did.

Thermostat Not Working?

Get connected with a local pro now.

Tap to CallNumber arriving soon

Keep going

Heating in Maine Boiler Leaking Water Emergency Heating Repair Furnace Blowing Cold Air Furnace Making Loud Noise Furnace Short Cycling Heat Pump Frozen Outside No Heat Pilot Light Keeps Going Out Radiators Not Heating

disclaimer: 207 Heating is a free service to assist homeowners in connecting with local service providers. All contractors/providers are independent and 207 Heating does not warrant or guarantee any work performed. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to verify that the hired contractor furnishes the necessary license and insurance required for the work being performed. All persons depicted in a photo or video are actors or models and not contractors listed on 207 Heating.

Same-day and 24/7 emergency services are subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand. Availability is not guaranteed and may vary by market and appointment capacity.

We use cookies and session-based analytics, including session replays (with form inputs masked), to improve this site. See our Privacy Policy.

About · Contact · Privacy · Terms · Disclosure · Sitemap