4 Simple Steps To Choosing The Right Thermostat For Your Home
A lot of what determines which thermostat is right for you is based on how you prefer to interact with the thermostat in your home. If technology scares you, maybe a basic mechanical thermostat will do the trick, but for those who like being able to control their thermostat from anywhere in the world a wifi- enabled programmable thermostat can’t be beat.
If reducing your energy consumption and spend is important, Installing a new generation of programmable thermostats is one of the most simple ways to improve your comfort and cut your energy costs by as much as 33%. Modern thermostats have controls that allow you to set and customize temperatures throughout the week so you can perfectly tailor them to your schedule. Not only is this more convenient, but it also maximizes the efficiency of your heating system which leads to greater comfort and savings.
Step 1: Figure Out Which Thermostat Is Compatible With Your Heating System.
Line Voltage versus Low Voltage
Line voltage thermostats: If you have electric resistance heating, such as fan-forced electric wall heaters or baseboards, typically installed in each room with a thermostat to control each individual unit, a line voltage thermostat capable of handling the high amperage of your heaters is an absolute must. Line-voltage units have two or four thick wires coming out of the back that are attached with wire nuts to wires in the wall.
Low voltage thermostats: These are more common across the country. These thermostats are used with central heating systems including furnaces, boilers, air conditioning, heat pumps and split systems. The giveaway for these types of stats is that they have multiple wires going into them and the wires aren't as thick as you’ll find on line-voltage stats.
Step 2: Learn About (And Choose) Your Thermostat Type
There are several types of thermostats, which you can choose from completely based on your preferences.
- Electronic Programmable: Can be set to change the thermostat up or down automatically during the day so you don’t have to worry about it.
- Electronic Non-Programmable: Requires you to manually change the thermostat during the day as temperatures fluctuate.
- Mechanical Manual: The same manual controls as the digital-non-programmable, but without the convenience of an LCD display.
- WIFI Smart: A WIFI smart thermostat is connected through your home’s internet service, allowing you to control it remotely from a phone or tablet.
Programmable
Non-Programmable
Mechanical
WIFI Smart
Step 3: Choose Your Programming Options
If you choose a programmable thermostat you have one more decision to make. Your thermostat can be customized even more so with a range of programming options. For instance, there is a 7-day programming option that allows you to set the temperature every day. There is also a 5-1-1 programming option, which allows for one program for the weekdays and separate programs for each Saturday and Sunday. There are also the 5-2, which allows for a program for the weekdays and then the weekend, and then the 1 Week, which allows you to set your thermostat for a whole week at a time. Each of these options has different periods so you can set the temperature for different times of the day (morning, afternoon, evening, night, etc.)