I am often asked “What type of thermostat is best for my home?”. The answer to this varies based upon what type of system heats and cools your home or office, and your efficiency goals. Lets discuss the types of thermostats available to purchase.
- Digital / Non-programmable– This is a “set-it and forget-it” type thermostat. The only way it will alter temperatures is if you manually change the setting.
- Digital / Programmable– This thermostat will allow you to schedule automatic adjustments to the temperature based upon your schedule and desired efficiency goals. This scheduling can provide energy savings if programmed properly, but can actually create major problems if utilized incorrectly. This discussion is too complex to cover every scenario in this forum, but here are the main points. If the thermostat is scheduled to “off-set” the temperature by large amounts (more than eight degrees), the recovery time can consume more energy than if the system had been allowed to cycle at a more moderate schedule. The period of time when the system is not running can allow humidity to rise to a point that the recovery cycle can not properly remove the accumulated moisture. This can result in fabrics and paper feeling wet, and other damage from a high-humidity environment. Scheduling for energy savings is not all bad. This process certainly has it’s benefits. Caution should be taken when setting these schedules and the preset recommendations should be closely evaluated. One great feature with this type of thermostat is that many can connect to Wi-Fi and be controlled from your phone through an app.
- Smart thermostats–This type of control also uses Wi-Fi and allows remote access. It senses movement and automatically changes the temperature settings based upon a “learned” pattern of activity. Some valuable features are provided by this type of control, but this type of scheduling can easily create issues with overall comfort and energy usage. This brief description may create more questions than it answers. We are always available to discuss options and find a solution that perfectly fits your needs. Contact us at 317-831-5279 to discuss this or any of your comfort and plumbing needs.