Nothing is more annoying than your heater or air conditioner not working properly. A quick assessment can help you deduce whether it’s a quick fix or something more serious.

Before you begin investigating your thermostat, check your air filters to see if they are clean. People often forget to change their filters, but a dirty filter can prevent air from flowing freely.

Another item to check are any hoses that connect to your system. Also make sure everything is correctly plugged and that there are no holes in the plugs.

Once you’ve checked the above items off the list, you can examine your thermostat to see if it’s the culprit. Here are some common thermostat problems:

• The temperature is set too high. It may seem like AC 101, but some people think their system is broken when in actuality the temperature is set to a higher degree than the temperature is in the house. Lowering the gauge a couple of notches should turn the system back on.

• The fan is turned on. A simple solution to the fan running constantly could be that you have the fan button turned on. If your system is set on auto, the fan will run only when the heating or cooling system is running.

• The batteries are dead. Yes, believe it or not, it could be that simple. When all else fails, change the batteries in your thermostat.

• It needs cleaning. Parts inside the thermostat can become very dusty over time. If it’s not working properly, it may simply require a little TLC to clear the dust away.

• It’s in a poor location. Ensure that your thermostat is not in a position where the sun is shining on it, causing the thermostat read a higher temperature than that of inside your home. If this occurs, it will not run properly.

• It’s not level. The thermostat needs to be level. Don’t assume that it is by looking at it; take a level and determine if it was properly installed.

• The anticipator needs adjusting. If your system cycles on and off too frequently, your anticipator may need an adjustment. Open up the front of the thermostat and look for a small metal tab that needs adjusting.

If you’ve checked for all of these issues and are still experiencing problems, contact your local AC repair company. At Gagne Heating and Air, one of our qualified technicians will come out to help right away. If you live in the Alpharetta, Duluth or any surrounding areas in the Atlanta region, give us a call today.

Continue reading: Thermostat Not Working? Here’s What to Do