Alpharetta, GA – The thermostat is one of the most important components of your air conditioning unit. But even though you probably touch it or look at it multiple times during the day, you probably don’t ever give it much thought. But, problems with your thermostat can spell bigger problems for your air conditioner.

“If you think you may have a malfunctioning thermostat, it’s important to have a qualified AC repair technician look at it,” says Phil Montgomery of Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning. “One of our technicians can identify exactly what the problem is and correct it before it causes big headaches for you.”

In some cases, a thermostat may just lose its connection to the unit. In this case, it won’t damage the unit, but it can make your home uncomfortable – you’ll adjust the temperature, but won’t feel any change. An AC repair technician can quickly fix this problem.

Some issues are more of a cause of concern, however. If your thermostat can’t accurately read the temperature and match it to what is set, your unit may start what is known as short cycling. Short cycling means the unit starts to work – you’ll hear the compressor start to kick on, but then it will shut off quickly. This is often caused by a problem with the thermostat incorrectly thinking the home is at the temperature you set the thermostat to.

This process will continue over and over again, making your AC unit work overtime. And when that happens, it can overwork your compressor. The compressor is the most expensive component of your air conditioning unit, so when it fails from overwork, you may be looking at a hefty bill.

But it may not only be the compressor you have to worry about if your unit begins to short cycle because of a faulty thermostat. The motors of your unit will also work overtime and can burn out.

If the wires of your thermostat that run to the air conditioner are faulty, they can cause the unit to run the fan continuously. This will place quite a strain on the fan motor, and can burn it out.

It can be difficult for the average homeowner to pinpoint the exact cause of an air conditioning problem. But, the experts at Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning have more than 40 years of experience, and can help correct thermostat issues before they become an even bigger problem.

If you think you may have issues with your air conditioning unit, call the experts today at 404-942-9779.