When the heating system repeatedly kicked on, despite the lake house feeling already overheated, I had no idea what part of the system was to blame. I first noticed that the heating method was cycling on and off more frequently because of the unwelcomed temperature swings. I’d switch from shivering to dripping in sweat within a few minutes. Thinking the heating system required a bit of upkeep, I updated the filter, cleaned the vents, as well as checked for faulty connections and dusted the burner assembly. After all that had failed, I went online for complications other people may have had for advice, I found all sorts of potential troubles with the thermostat. Thermostats handle the communication with the heating system, making them crucial to operation. However, thermostats are sensitive to dust buildup, external temperature problems, even difficulties with wiring. I started by changing the battery in the thermostat. Even though the display still lit up, I figured the batteries could be worn out and unable to function at full charge. When this didn’t solve the heating system malfunction, I decided to clean out the thermostat. I removed the cover plate and wiped all of the surfaces carefully, including the bimetallic coil. Still having no luck, I finally hired an Heating and Air Conditioning expert for heating system repair. The worker discovered that the wiring of the thermostat was responsible. Tightening up the wires took him less than four minutes. Of course, I still needed to spend money on the flat fee for the maintenance call, which was rather costly. While he was there, the worker went ahead and cleaned, tuned as well as checked the entire heating system to promote more reliable, efficient operation. From now on, I will take better care of the thermostat.