It doesn't matter how powerful or efficient your commercial air conditioner unit is; if there is an issue with the thermostat — you will experience problems. For this reason, every building owner needs to be able to recognize the signs of a thermostat that requires repair.
Hot Spot Complaints
Do you have employees or customers that complain that certain parts of the building feel warmer than others? If so, a problem with the thermostat could be to blame. When the thermostat registers an air temperature that is at or below the setting on the unit, it forces the cooling system to power down.
However, problems arise when the thermostat generates an inaccurate reading. In this instance, it will force the cooling system to power off prematurely, which means that some parts of the building will be cool and others won't. Complaints from your staff and customers should not be ignored. Warm building conditions can slow down the productivity of your staff and send customers away.
Increased Energy Costs
When a faulty thermostat forces a cooling system to power off prematurely, it doesn't just do it one time. Once the system powers off, the thermostat will register that the air temperature is above the preset temperature and force the unit back on, only to force it off shortly after. This on and off phase is known as short cycling.
Large units consume a considerable amount of energy when they power on, so naturally, when a unit powers on frequently, the amount of energy it uses will also increase. If you've been tracking your utility costs and see an unexplained increase in your electrical consumption, it's a good idea to begin the search effort with a close look at the thermostat.
Thermostat Inconsistencies
Commercial buildings often rely on programmable thermostats to regulate the temperature inside the building and control cooling costs. However, when a thermostat begins to fail, it's common to experience problems with this feature.
For example, if the thermostat is programmed to increase the temperature at 7:00 pm, it might not respond to this change. Instead, the temperature will stay on the same setting as it was during the day. This type of problem is often harder to detect, especially if the unit is programmed to make these changes when the building is not occupied. However, a sudden uptick in your electrical consumption might be an indicator.
Do you recognize any of these issues in your building? Reach out to a commercial air conditioning repair service for immediate assistance.
