Thermostat Not Working

A thermostat that has quit can leave a perfectly good boiler sitting idle because nothing is telling it to run, so a call sorts out which end the fault is on.

Tap to CallNumber arriving soon

When this becomes an emergency

The screen is dark, or it lights up and then goes blank again.
The room feels far colder than the temperature the thermostat is reporting.
Turning the setting up produces no sound from the equipment at all.
A programmable unit keeps dropping its schedule and reverting to defaults.

What a pro does

A dead screen is worth ruling out cheaply before anything else, since batteries account for a large share of these calls. Past that, the low-voltage wiring between the stat and the equipment gets tested end to end, because a corroded terminal or a wire nicked during some old renovation makes a healthy thermostat look broken. Newer connected models bring their own version of this: many old systems were wired without a common conductor, and a stat trying to power itself off the heat call will reset itself repeatedly. Placement explains the readings that seem wrong. A stat mounted on a poorly insulated outside wall reads that wall's temperature rather than the room's, and the schedule never lines up with the way the house actually feels to the people in it.

Frequently asked questions

Can dead batteries really shut everything down?

They can, and it's the first thing to check. A thermostat with no power sends no signal, and the equipment simply sits there waiting for a call that never comes.

Why do smart thermostats cause trouble on older systems?

They expect a constant-power wire that plenty of older installations never had, so the thermostat borrows power from the heat call and browns out instead of holding a steady signal.

Does where the thermostat hangs really change things?

A great deal. Direct sun, a nearby lamp, a drafty exterior wall, or a spot above a register will all give a reading that has little to do with the rest of the house.

If the thermostat is dead, is the heating equipment fine?

Not necessarily. The two failures look the same from the hallway, which is why both the control and the equipment get checked before anything is replaced.

Thermostat Not Working?

Get connected with a local pro now.

Tap to CallNumber arriving soon

Keep going

Heating in New Hampshire 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: New Hampshire Heating is a free service to assist homeowners in connecting with local service providers. All contractors/providers are independent and New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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