Your thermostat is one of the most integral parts of your HVAC system. It monitors the current temperature of the air in your household and regulates the output of cold and warm air. A faulty HVAC thermostat can cause a variety of problems, and therefore must be at full working capacity at all times. 

There are many indications that your thermostat needs to be replaced. It’s essential to keep an eye on its functionality, especially at the beginning of our Hawaiian tropical climate shifts. Ultimately, your HVAC unit is what makes your home comfortable, and your investment should work for you, not the other way around. Let’s get started!

Image of Island Comfort Technician repairing a thermostat in Hawaii

5 Signs That It’s Time To Replace Your HVAC Thermostat

Staying cool in the sweltering summer heat and staying warm in the chilling winter months are comforts that your investment in an HVAC unit should provide. At the center of these commodities is your thermostat. Take some time to become knowledgeable about the indications your unit’s thermostat needs to be replaced. Here we go!

1) Your HVAC System Turns On And Off By Itself

No one wants a system that has a mind of its own. This isn’t iRobot. The main function of your HVAC thermostat is to send signals to your unit to either decrease or increase temperatures. If your unit has stopped communicating with your thermostat, don’t blame it on your HVAC system. This is a sign that your thermostat has stopped working, most likely due to its wiring becoming frayed or damaged. Expert technicians are able to provide solutions for faulty wiring or wiring that has become damaged over time.

2) You’re Experiencing Indoor Temperature Shifts

When an HVAC thermostat isn’t functioning correctly, it has a hard time maintaining its settings. If you lower the temperature of your system and the output of cold air isn’t matching that of your thermostat, you may have a rogue AI. That’d be something, wouldn’t it? But no, if your cold air output isn’t matching the adjustment to a cooler temperature setting, it may be time to call a professional.

Island Comfort technician troubleshooting a thermostat in Hawaii

3) Faulty HVAC Thermostat Readings

When the thermostat for HVAC systems is working correctly, your living area will never be too hot or too cold. When your thermostat starts misreading temperatures, temperature shifts begin to occur, and it might be time for a replacement. Do a quick test, check your home’s indoor temperature with a separate thermostat, and compare it with your current thermostat for your unit. If the readings are different, it’s time for a replacement.

4) High Energy Bills

You may be experiencing an influx in kilowatt usage. Ask yourself if you’re altering the temperature of your unit more often. While your system may be working overtime, the thermostat could be the culprit of its insufficiency and your increased Hawaii utility bills. 

5) Your HVAC Thermostat Is Getting Old

The lifespan of most HVAC thermostats ranges from 10-15 years. We suggest replacing them as they get older and staying up to date on newer and modernized thermostats with more features. The latest technology will help to ensure that you’re taking full advantage of energy-efficient updates.

How Do I Replace My HVAC Thermostat?

Replacing your thermostat isn’t by any means a do-it-yourself type of task. When in doubt, have an HVAC technician figure it out! The technicians of Island Comfort are vetted experts with years of experience. Our team takes pride in providing professional service to those who need it. Contact us today! 

Why Is My AC Unit Blowing Hot Air? Check These 6 Things First

December 18th, 2019

An air conditioner installed in a homeAren’t Hawaiian “winters” the best? We can save money on our electric bills by just popping open the windows to let those cool island trade winds blow through the house.

When that first scorcher of the season hits, that AC unit needs to work and it needs to work well. No one wants an AC unit blowing hot air in their face!

6 Reasons an AC Unit is Blowing Hot Air

1. The Settings Got Messed Up

It may sound simple, but you’d be surprised how many times we get to a customer’s home and realize someone has just bumped the settings and screwed things up.

Always double-check the settings first. Sometimes, they may need to be calibrated by a professional too.

Remember that if an AC unit is set to “on” rather than “auto,” it may keep blowing room temperature air when it’s not cooling – like a fan.

2. The Intake Vent is Blocked with Debris

If the unit is covered with leaves or dirt, that means it isn’t getting air which can lead to an AC unit blowing hot air. Cut off the electricity and clean off the intake vent.

3. The Coils are Dirty or Fins are Bent

Even if an AC unit looks clean, that doesn’t mean the coils aren’t clogged up with gunk.

For window units, cut off the electricity and pop open the back panel. Vacuum out any dust, hair, and dirt. Use a brush and some cleaner to wipe down the condenser fins. If they’re bent, use a special fin comb to straighten them out.

Make sure to wear leather gloves for this.

4. The Filter Needs a Change or Cleaning

While the AC is open, we recommend cleaning or changing the air filter. It’s important to clean your AC filter once a month during the summer when it’s running all the time.

5. The AC Unit Needs Refrigerant or Freon

For an AC unit blowing hot air, icing over, leaking, or triggering sky-high electric bills, freon might be the culprit. This is a fix best left to the professionals, so give us a call.

6. There’s an Electrical Issue

Power outages can lead to blown fuses and brownouts. Remember that AC units draw a ton of power!

Check the fuse box to make sure all the switches are on.

Inside the unit, faulty wiring is also common.

Whether an AC unit is tipping the circuit breaker or needs an internal wire fix, this is another job only a professional should handle.

AC Unit Still Blowing Hot Air?

In many cases, we can fix an AC unit blowing hot air with a simple tune-up so there’s usually no need to replace the whole thing. Our experts will conduct a 32-Point Safety Inspection & Tune Up to diagnose the specific problem and get your AC running icy cold again!

Schedule an appointment for a 32-point tune-up on either Oahu or Kauai today!