What To Do When Static Electricity Causes Your Thermostat To Go Blank

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(Updated August 9, 2024)

Static electricity caused my thermostat to go blank this morning. I went to change the setting and static electricity from my finger caused a spark. And then the thermostat went blank.

I tried resetting it via the tiny hole in the thermostat, but unfortunately that didn’t fix it.

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN RUIN YOUR THERMOSTAT WITH STATIC ELECTRICITY? Sometimes you can reset your thermostat by turning off the power to the unit and turning it back on. Or taking the batteries out of the thermostat and reinstalling them.

Do You Know What To Do When Static Electricity Causes Your Thermostat To Go Blank?

I tried all those methods and nothing worked. What to do?

So of course I got online and Googled my problem. Apparently the lack of humidity in your home can cause the problem of static electricity.

10 Possible Reasons Your Thermostat Goes Blank:

• If you live with others, someone could have turned the thermostat off
• The batteries are dead
• The circuit breaker tripped
• The air filter is dirty
• Some units have safety switches, and it could have been triggered
• Dust in the wiring, thus dirty wiring
• The fuse has blown
• There are wiring issues
• Mismatched parts aren’t compatible
• Thermostat needs to be replaced

I called the number listed on the inside door of the thermostat for help, but it being Sunday, no one was there. Well, great.

Still Googling my dilemma, I read that I should take the batteries out and switch them backwards. Then turn them back around. That didn’t work.

Finally I just put new batteries in and the thermostat reading showed back up. So I suppose I only zapped the batteries. Fingers crossed.

A static discharge can fry any electronics including the thermostat.

Get Rid Of Static Electricity In Your Home:

1. Use a humidifier
2. Wear low-static shoes and fabrics. The safest are cotton and leather-soled shoes.
3. Add baking soda to laundry (Baking soda serves as a barrier between negative and positive charges)
4. Rub upholstery with dryer sheets (they neutralize electricity)
5. Employ metal objects (The easiest fix to static electricity may be to carry a safety pin or metal key in a pocket. Touching it before anything else transfers electron charges to safeguard against shocks.)

You can help reduce the static electricity by investing in a humidifier.

From what I read, sometimes static electricity can ruin the thermostat. Mine has come back on, so I think everything is okay.

Why does my thermostat go blank when I touch it?

The most common reasons for a blank thermostat screen are dead batteries, a power outage, a tripped circuit breaker, faulty wiring, or a failed thermostat. The screen will be completely dark and unresponsive when there is an issue with power reaching the thermostat.

How Do You Reset A Blank Thermostat?

Here are the step-by-step reset instructions:

1. Switch the thermostat to the off position.
2. Locate the breaker that powers your HVAC system and turn it off.
3. Wait 30 seconds and turn the breaker back on.
4. Turn your thermostat back on and confirm it has reset properly.

Discharge Static Electricity By Doing This:

Before you touch the thermostat, touch the screw on an electrical light switch.

Since the light switch face plate screws into the metal switch, that should discharge the static electricity. And hopefully save you from damaging the computer board in the digital thermostat.

How Do I Restore Power To My Thermostat?

Go to the breaker panel and locate the circuit breaker for your thermostat. If it’s off, try to reset the breaker switch. This will often fix the problem unless the circuit is overloaded, which will cause the breaker to trip again.

Check the filter. A dirty filter could have triggered a safety airflow switch in the indoor unit. If your AC filter is clogged up with dust and dirt, it could cause your air conditioning to shut down. Changing your filter every 1-3 months is recommended.

Some thermostats have a safety feature that is prompted when there’s a potential issue with your AC system. If the thermostat is blank and the unit is not working, the safety switch could have detected a problem like excess moisture or high temperatures in your system.

To fix this, try turning your thermostat to a different setting. Or check to see if there is an external blank screen reset button.

Another reason your thermostat could be blank is a case of dirty wiring. I’d call a professional to handle this.

There could be a blown fuse. To check for a blown fuse, you will need a device called a multimeter. When your thermostat display is not working, a multimeter can analyze whether there are voltage complications.

Or your thermostat might just need to be replaced.

The good news is that static electricity can’t seriously harm you. Your body is composed largely of water and water is an inefficient conductor of electricity, especially in amounts this small.

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