Today’s central heating and air conditioning systems are often equipped with sophisticated, digital thermostats. These devices do much more than analog, dial-type thermostats or those that depend on mercury for operation.
However, the one drawback to digital thermostats is that they often use batteries to function. Without internal batteries, digital thermostats won’t work and could leave you without heat or cool air. Fortunately, battery replacement is usually a simple and fast process, and homeowners can perform it without fear once they know how to safely handle the replacement.
How to Replace Batteries
Battery replacement should be performed as needed, but you should also replace them on an annual basis, at the very least. That will prevent any unexpected thermostat failures, especially during the coldest or hottest times of the year.
If you have your thermostat’s instructions handy, then you should review them prior to attempting a battery change. If not, you may be able to locate an electronic copy online at the manufacturer’s website for download and viewing.
Begin by shutting down the power to the thermostat and central heating and air conditioning system. The voltage levels inside the thermostat are fairly low and incapable of shocking you; however, you should always flip off the appropriate circuit breaker switch at the panel to prevent accidental surges which could damage the system.
Next, consult the thermostat instructions to determine how to access the battery compartment. Many times, the compartment can be accessed by simply pulling the front panel away from the base, or you may have to lift-and-slide the panel to remove it. There may also be occasions when screws need to be removed to permit access.
After the panel has been removed, take out the old batteries and replace them with fresh, alkaline batteries. Be sure the batteries are properly aligned for polarity, with the positive and negative terminals facing the correct directions.
Replace the panel as instructed and then restore power to the thermostat at the circuit breaker panel. You may need to reprogram the thermostat to recover previous settings.
Please contact us with any questions or service needs that you may have.
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