Hadn't thought about sunlight messing with the thermostat, but now that you mention it... had a similar issue last summer. Mine was near a window, and every afternoon it'd spike weirdly. Ended up moving it about two feet over and no problems since. Is yours near a window or glass door? Might just be an easy fix, worth checking before you start swapping parts or calling someone out.
"Ended up moving it about two feet over and no problems since."
Moving the thermostat can definitely help, but I'd caution against assuming it's always an easy fix. When I bought my place, I had similar fluctuations and thought sunlight was the culprit. Turned out, after relocating it away from windows, the issue persisted—ended up being faulty wiring behind the unit. So, while repositioning is a good first step, don't rule out deeper electrical issues if the problem sticks around. Better safe than sorry...
Moving it worked for you, huh? Lucky break. But honestly, thermostats can be sneaky little devils. I've had more than a few tenants swear up and down that moving it fixed everything—until a week later when they're back to square one. Ever consider it might just be a temporary fix?
I had one place where the thermostat was acting possessed. Thought it was drafts, sunlight, or maybe even ghosts (kidding... mostly). Moved it around, thought we nailed it, but nope—still acting up. Eventually, after some head-scratching and a few choice words, we found out the HVAC system itself was cycling weirdly because of a faulty relay. Thermostat was innocent the whole time.
Point is, moving it can help if placement's the issue, but how sure are you that's the real culprit? Did you check if it's near vents or drafts? Is the wall behind it insulated properly? And how old is the thermostat anyway? If it's ancient, it might just be on its last legs.
Not trying to rain on your DIY parade, but sometimes these quick fixes are just band-aids. If it starts acting up again, might be worth having someone who knows their way around HVAC wiring take a peek. Could save you some headaches down the road. Just my two cents...
"Eventually, after some head-scratching and a few choice words, we found out the HVAC system itself was cycling weirdly because of a faulty relay."
Haha, sounds familiar. I had a similar issue last winter—thought I'd cracked the code by repositioning the thermostat away from a drafty hallway. Worked great...for about two weeks. Then it started acting possessed again (maybe your ghost moved into my place?).
Turns out, mine was an old thermostat that had seen better days. Swapped it for a basic programmable one—not too pricey—and haven't had trouble since. Honestly, if your thermostat's ancient or acting sketchy, replacing it might save you money in the long run. DIY is great and all, but when it comes to electrical or HVAC stuff, I'm extra cautious—better safe than sorry.
If moving yours fixed it for now, awesome. But keep an eye on it...these things have a sneaky habit of coming back to haunt you later.
"DIY is great and all, but when it comes to electrical or HVAC stuff, I'm extra cautious—better safe than sorry."
Yeah, totally agree with this. I've seen plenty of DIY thermostat fixes go sideways because folks underestimate how finicky HVAC wiring can be. Glad yours turned out okay though. If the relay was the culprit, you're probably good for now...but like you said, keep an eye on it. These things love acting up again at the worst possible moment (usually middle of winter, right?).
