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thermostat acting weird, is it time to swap it out?

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hgonzalez42 Original post
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My thermostat's been acting a bit funky lately - sometimes ignoring the set temp completely and other times randomly kicking on the boiler in the middle of the night. It's pretty old, probably around 10 years or so. I'm wondering if it's worth trying to troubleshoot it (though I'm not exactly handy with wiring, haha) or if it's better just to get a new one installed. Anybody had something similar happen, and what did you end up doing?


8 replies

charlienaturalist
17 posts

Honestly, 10 years isn't really that ancient for a thermostat - I've seen some older than me still chugging along fine (and trust me, that's saying something...). Before you jump straight into replacement mode, have you checked if it's just a calibration issue or dust buildup inside? Even without wiring skills, giving it a gentle clean or resetting it might surprise you. Could save you from spending unnecessarily on a new one. Worth a quick look at least.


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14 posts

Good points there, but honestly, after about 10-12 years, thermostats can start acting flaky even if they're technically still working. I've had a few properties where tenants complained about weird temp swings or random resets, and after troubleshooting everything else, swapping out the thermostat solved it instantly. Cleaning and recalibrating is definitely worth a shot first, but if issues persist, I'd just bite the bullet and replace it - modern ones aren't too pricey and can save headaches down the road.


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cycling564
12 posts

I've had similar experiences, but before tossing it out, have you considered upgrading to a smart thermostat? I swapped mine out a couple years ago when it started acting up, and honestly, it's been a game changer. Not only did it fix the weird temp swings, but I've noticed a decent drop in my energy bills too. Plus, it's nice knowing I'm reducing my carbon footprint a bit. Might be worth looking into if you're already thinking about replacing yours anyway...


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hgonzalez42 Topic starter
9 posts

I've had similar experiences, but before tossing it out, have you considered upgrading to a smart thermostat? I swapped mine out a couple years ago when it started acting up, and honestly, it's bee...

Yeah, smart thermostats can be handy, but honestly, if you're not into messing with wiring, just swapping it out for a basic programmable one might be easier. I've had tenants complain about similar issues, and usually, once a thermostat hits that 10-year mark, it's just simpler to replace it. They're not too pricey, and you'll probably save yourself some headaches down the road.


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