How to Troubleshoot My Honeywell Thermostat

Honeywell is the most well known and widely used thermostat brand on the market, and while they are certainly well made and reliable, sometimes they don’t work as they should. Whether you have an older dial0type model or a modern smart model of thermostat, if something goes wrong, we’re sharing some tips on how to troubleshoot your Honeywell thermostat.

Troubleshooting an Analog Thermostat

If you have an older thermostat that is either round or square and you adjust the temperature by turning a knob or moving a small lever, you have an analog thermostat. If you feel it’s not working, try these steps:

• To check your furnace, make sure the switch is set to “HEAT,” and turn the temperature setting up to 80 degrees. Give it five minutes to see if the heat kicks on, and if so, adjust it to your preferred setting.
• To check your air conditioner, switch it to “COOL,” and make sure the fan is set on AUTO. Turn it down to around 60 degrees and wait five minutes.
• If these don’t work, take the cover off and check to make sure the wires haven’t come loose.
• If the wiring is fine, the issue may be that the thermostat has simply worn out if it’s several years old, or the problem stems from the HVAC unit itself.

Troubleshooting a Programmable Honeywell Thermostat

If your thermostat has a digital screen and you can use buttons and arrows to adjust temperature settings and set your heating and cooling based around your schedule, these tips will help you troubleshoot your programmable thermostat.

If the display is blank:

• Put in new batteries;
• Check the circuit breaker;
• Check the indoor unit to make sure all the panel doors are closed;
• Make sure the power is connected to the furnace or air conditioning unit by checking the switch near the indoor unit is up.

If the screen is on but the heat nor air are working:

• Check to see that the date and time are set correctly and that it’s not programmed to be hotter or cooler than you want it to be in your home.
• Remove the cover and see if any wires are disconnected and that the jumper settings are in the right place. For example, if you have an electric furnace, the jumper would be switched to “HE” whereas a gas furnace would be switched to “HG.” Not all thermostats have jumpers.
• Follow steps with analog thermostat by turning the heat up or AC down and waiting a few minutes to see if it kicks on.

If none of these work, it may be time to call an HVAC repair company.

Troubleshooting a Smart Thermostat

Troubleshooting a Honeywell smart thermostat is similar to a programmable one, so you can follow many of the same steps. Also, the great thing about smart thermostats is that generally, if there is a problem, you’ll receive an error code. The most common error codes that require service are:

• 164 – Heat pump needs service
• 168 – Wi-Fi radio error
• 170 – Internal memory error
• 173 – Thermostat temperature sensor error
• 177 – Indoor temperature sensor error
• 178 – Outdoor temperature sensor error

Error codes you can fix are:

• 171 – Set date and time to schedule your thermostat
• 181/182 – Replace air filter
• 183 – Clean humidifier tank and add a new filter
• 185 – Get new dehumidifier filter
• 388 – Register online for remote access and exterior temperature
• 399 – No internet
• 400 – No Wi-Fi signal
• 508 – Wi-Fi not connected

Schedule HVAC Repair Service Today

If you’ve tried troubleshooting your Honeywell thermostat and you just can’t get your heating or air conditioning working the way you need it to, we can help. For experienced heating and air conditioning repair in Garner, South Raleigh, and the surrounding area, reach out to Bowman Mechanical Services today.