Air Conditioner Thermostats

A typical air conditioner is composed of a numerous parts that are vital to the operation of the air conditioning system. The compressor is considered as the heart of the air conditioner because it is the one that is responsible for cooling an enclosed area or building. But, did you know that the one considered as the brain of an air conditioning system is the thermostat?

A thermostat is a device, or in this case, part of the air conditioner that regulates the temperature of the room or building. The thermostat does this by activating the air conditioning system on or off to maintain the correct programmed temperature.

The role of air conditioner thermostats’ in the system is to regulate the temperature that air conditioners vent out. For example, a home central air conditioner thermostat controls the HVAC or the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning of a building. When the temperature of the building or house is lower or higher than the programmed temperature, the building’s air conditioner thermostats switches the system on and then switches it off as it reaches the programmed settings. In other words, it is responsible for modulating and regulating the programmed temperature of the building.

Most of the systems today have two fan settings on their air conditioner thermostats; these are “auto” and “on”. If the setting of the air conditioner thermostat is set to “on”, its fan runs continually. On the other hand, of the setting is on “auto”, the fan of the air conditioning unit is activated only during its cooling cycles or when the compressor is activated. If the air conditioner is used all day, the compressor operates on have of the time or more specifically 12 hours.

Mainly, there are two kinds of air conditioner thermostats; electromechanical thermostats and electronic thermostats. Electromechanical thermostats use a miniature glass vial that contains mercury and a narrow piece of bi-metal coil. The narrow piece of bi-metal coil is sensitive to temperature change. It expands when it is warm and contracts when it is cold.

One way of protecting your system’s air conditioner thermostats is by protecting it from tampering or damage using “plastic ac thermostat covers”. Most of the plastic ac thermostat covers available in the market nowadays are easy to install and can fit to almost all sorts of thermostats.

Once installed, the air conditioner thermostats of the system respond to the slightest change in the building’s temperature. However, this device can create problems if installed improperly. Also proper air conditioner thermostat calibration is essential for its efficiency. If the thermostat of your air conditioning system is faulty, seek professional help right away for ac thermostat troubleshooting.

To make sure that the thermostat is working properly, check the air conditioner thermostat’s calibration accurate. To verify its accuracy, tape a thermometer a few inches from the thermostat. The thermometer must not touch the wall; do this by padding it with paper towel. Compare the readings of both devices (allow at least 15 minutes for the thermometer to stabilize). If the thermostat’s reading is off by a few degree, check if it is dirty. Remove any foreign objects inside the thermostat by opening it. Remember; don’t use vacuum cleaners in cleaning it because the suction of the vacuum cleaner might damage the device. If the device has two contact points on it, rub it with a tissue or you can brush them with soft bristle brush. Do not use stiff cloth (emery) or sandpaper in cleaning these contact points. After cleaning adjust it by setting it to the correct reading.

Remember, the thermostat is important in the maintaining and taking care of the air conditioning system. Always check it on a regular basis to be sure of its efficiency.