Hi Eric!

Personally, I don't find thermostats too difficult to program, but then again, I'm a software engineer!

I do think that the programming capabilities are pretty limited across the board, however. I'd like to see the ability to allow the temperature to be set as a range - low / hi. When the home dips below the low, the thermostat would run the heating system until it hits the high mark, then allow the home to cool back down to the low point. I don't have any concept if that would be more efficient, but it seems that if the heating system was already running, it would be easier to push another few degrees now than to fire up again later.

Tim

Have just gotten new thermostat, I don't use the programming feature, I'm retired and here most of the time so can easily raise and lower the temp. The thing I would like to have is LARGE numbers. It's hard to see tiny numbers. Would also like something high tech appearing.

Thermostats do work on a range above and below the set temperature. I believe this is called hysterisis. It is usually a 3 or 4 degree range around the set temperature and many programmable thermostats allow you to set the range (2-6). If this were not in the program the motors would be constantly starting and shutting off. Motors draw a large current when starting and much lower while just running. The motors would burn out relatively soon. I'm not sure how else you could control the temperature. You would always need a sensor and an actuator.

Henry

Eric -

I have two thermostats in my home. An old "dial" type in the main house that controls my gas, forced air furnace, and the electronic whiz-bang one that controls the radiant floor heat in my office (a standalone building).

I've never gotten the hang of the programming in the whiz-bang one, and find myself over-riding it frequently to make it warmer, or colder, then having to compensate later, just like I would with the dial type thermostat.

But the dial type is easier.

Tangentially, some social science researcher at Lawrence Berkely Labs did a study of how homeowners use their thermostats... can't remember her name, but it was published in 2000ish... I think her basic conclusion is that thermostats aren't used the way they're engineered, thus negating energy savings benefits (and frustrating homeowners, like me).

- Stacy (your fellow blogger) :)

I wish the technicians installing thermostats would realize that they are not a decorative feature. I have lived in and visited many homes where the thermostat is in the center of a wall. This eliminates many decorating options.

Dear Eric,
Because of my age (71), the most difficult part of the thermostat is reading the current temperature or the setting. There must be a senior-friendly thermostat out there for these old eyes. Otherwise, the programing is pretty straight forward.

I don't believe in programable thermostats. Once you set a non-programable stat and reach your comfort zone, it only takes 1-2 degrees to maintain that setting. The unit doesn't run as long and even though the fan comes on more often, a good fan motor is designed to be repetitive for many years. The motor is only as good as it is manufactured and assembled.

Too many thermostats do NOT allow you to program fan times. I would like to have the ability to run my furnace fan for my gas furnace to circulate and filter the air in the house independent of the heat cold cycle.

Eric;

We have a two story home. It's either cold on the
first floor or hot on the second. The thermostat
is on the first floor. I would love it if they
had dual thermostats, one on each floor, that
could read the temp upstairs at nite and turn the
heat down and also have timers so it will turn up
again before anyone gets up so it will be warmer downstairs. we've played around with the timer
on our thermostat and still haven't been able to find the right setting. we close the registers on the second floor, but that doesn't seem to help. My daughter even went so far as to pile stuff on top of the register. didn't help.

i have a remote thermostat. i love it! so easy and i can move it from room to room. i'm always comfy..........

We installed a programable thermostat last year. So far, we love it. I picked one with large digital numbers. My power bill (we are total electric) may be slightly lower, but the house is much more comfortable.

Hi Eric,
After having read the other posts I realize even the most sophisticated people have problems understanding thermostats. I'm a supervisor/technician who sees lots of things happening out there that would baffle a non or low tech person, and have seen some hi-tech types balk at. In any case, the thermostat being the brain of the HVAC system will only do what you want it to, and like anything else has a certain life to it before it stops thinking as you would like. Some are more accurate then other, but the less you spend, the less it knows how to do. I do use programmable thermostats, but have found that some are just too complicated for the people who use them day-to-day. So, they have to be matched to the understanding level of the person using it. Know your customer and you'll be able to keep them happy. Regardless of the type of thermostat you use. There are plenty of choices for everyone. They all need to understand the need to balance a system, and the benefits of zone control-if you have the means to install it. Keep the blogs coming. I enjoy reading what people have to say. Have a great day!

I have a two story home with the same problem as Sheryl. I have two thermostats though; one up and one down. The thermostats signal a controller to open or close motorized dampers which allow air to go to the upstairs or downstairs. Here are some observations:

- The only attic insulation that I had was around the access to the attic so that it just appeared to be insulated.

- I found it easier to disconnect the motor from the dampers and manually adjust the amount of air each floor received. In a fairly short time, I was able to figure how to do that so that it was rarely required to readjust. I use a digital thermometer indoors to monitor the temps.

- In summer, most of the cool air is sent upstairs and that has seemed to work pretty well.

- I plan to install one of those Mister Slim heat pumps in one area as an experiment and hopefully it will work out quite well for me. My HVAC guy said he would do that in the spring.

- I might try installing the newer spring closing dampers in lieu of what I now have because they would be simpler and more dependable.

- I did install a new 15 seer condenser and coil and that seemed to make a difference during the late summer when the outside temps were in the 100's.

- One of my HVAC friends says the only way to go is with a variable speed blower in the furnace. I personally like the the idea of the small heat pumps and individual zones they provide.

Just my observations. I rarely touch the thermostat and don't have programmable ones. I like to set it and forget it as much as possible.

Rick;

didn't know they made dampers like you described.
We have an old furnace and we plan to replace it
in the next couple of years. I had wondered about
a damper system such as yours. Can it be retro-fitted? Easily and at a decent cost? My son keeps his window open in the winter because it gets too hot in his room. I sit downstairs in sweats and slippers while my husband goes around in shorts and no shirt. While I don't think that
situation is that unusual, I hate wasting energy
trying to keep my downstairs warm and then having it so warm upstairs. The person who posted about a remote thermostat has me thinking that may be a good option for us to check out.

Even when I had electric heat and now gas, I've only had and seen thermostats covers in tan or white. Any one know if they are made and where they can be bought in colors to match home interior decor?
How about wall projection display verses larger thermostats to see numbers.
Programable are a tad harder to understand speaking for myself. I have seen the 5-7 day programables I understand once it's set is good to go. What if it warms up enough and you turn off the unit, does that reset your 5-7 day program?
Thanks

Retired, living alone, and with a new very efficient furnace, I was not dismayed when the installers found that my 2-wire hookup for the thermostat would be difficult to change, necessitating manual only service. I've always controlled the heat manually...either I'm home and warm, or I turn the heat down when I go out, and at night. I do agree that thermostat placement might be more imaginative, and may in fact work on that soon...thanks for the idea!

I would like to know if I get hook up two seperate thermostats to the same furnace? One would be set to read and regulate the upstairs temperature at night when we are sleeping there and the other downstairs for during the day.

Sheryl,

The motorized dampers in the ductwork are readily available in several designs. You can probably modify almost any ductwork to accommodate them but I would get at least a couple of different contractors to look at your situation and go over options and pricing with you.

One thing to remember is that once you have paid for the new furnace and any other work you have done, you want to be happy with it or you will wind up paying too much to get it modified yet again.

Depending on your climate and what energy source you will be using- electric, gas or oil- you may want to look into getting something very different from what you now have. Also, if you have problems with the ductwork not being adequate for your home you may want to look into the ductless systems that are on the market now.

The ductless heat pumps or AC only units can effectively zone your house so that everybody can be comfortable. They come with wireless thermostats or you can get a wired thermostat if you want it.

Thanks Peter for your reply.

We have a gas, forced air system.

My husband and I love to go to home improvement
shows in our area (chicago) and will check with
the different dealers there to see what they
come up with.

I do not blame this problem on my thermostat. I
think its these systems are what builders are
putting in as standard. I like to read about
the new products out there but in most cases
until the new stuff is put in new housing as
a standard product, the cost makes it difficult
for those of us who need/want to update.

hi:
I like your question. What I would like to see is a sensor on the wall and the t-stst control in another room(best furnace room

I would like to address several of the issues that I have been reading. First of all, the location of the thermostat can be difficult in some floorplans as the goal is to read the temperature of the living space without any interference from direct sunlight, water and HVAC piping inside walls, and heat from cooking or showers. Secondly, Carrier does have a decorative thermostat called the "EDGE" that comes in many different colors and large displays and can be set up as either programmable or not. It can also use existing two wire in older homes with limited access to pull a 4+ conductor thermostat wire. Lastly, there is a zoning system made by Arzel that is easy to install to new or existing systems for increased comfort and efficiency. Many of the manufacturers have multi stage heating and cooling units with variable speed inducer and blower motors that work at a fraction of energy usage and cost. This technology has actually been around for at least 12-15 years for those that do the research or have a qualified person to explain the advantages of these systems. If you or someone you know is having a home built, don't let the builder decide what to put in "your" home. You are the one that has to live there and pay the utility bills. You can invest a little more and have comfortable, efficient system, or save a few bucks and complain when the system does not meet your expectations. Then again, the rest of the homes' construction should be taken into consideration to take advantage of advances in design and engineering. Good luck to all!

I have two zones, each with a programmable thermostat. My weekday and weekend settings are very different, since I sleep a couple of hours later on weekends and keep the heat on through most of the day. I'd really like a programmable thermostat with a button for "tomorrow is a holiday" so I can treat a weekday like a weekend day when I'm going to be home instead of at work. Don't the designers use their own products and think of these things?

I hate programmable thermostats! I can never figure them out. I loved the old-fashioned slide-style thermostat - it was simple and it worked. As for the concept of programming your thermostat to lower when you're not at home, why not just lower it yourself when you leave the house? Pretty simple!

in my last house the thermostat got direct sunlight all afternoon - so I froze in the house. in my present house things are much better. but why do they have to be in the middle of the wall? why are they always mounted lower then eye level? Do the temp read outs have to be so terribly small? and why is it that the covers are so often sq. dust collectors?
I would like to see the numbers much bigger and back lit like a cars dashboard. why not have your thremostat double as a night light? I had a programable one and I agree its a waste of time. with every power outage it needed to be reset-and if I wasnt home it just stayed off. my current one will automatically come back on when the power does. (it is a dial up) when I am home I set it for comfort, when I'm gone it is set low. it combines the A.C. and heat in one dial up pkg. simple and easy to use; but it is mounted smack in the middle of the hall wall with no light near by and I have to bend down to see it and the numbers are so small its a bear to read. Still I lkie it better then the programable one which was always too hot or too cold or didnt come on after a storm..

I love programmable thermostats, but there is one thing I would like to see them do - add some kind of feature to prevent someone from overriding the program because "they feel chilly". My wife is constantly bumping the temperature upward after I have set it for the day, particularly now that we are in the cooler weather. How about a dummy face that shows her chosen setting without altering the daily temp more than 1 degree above the programmed setting.

It's just an on off switch for your heating system....too many bells and whistles that few people use...since I have sold them for 35 years and saw how bad some systems were installed...buy a basic t-stat and set it and forget it !!!!! ........it works

There are many thermostats that do have backlighting that can be set up to stay on at all times. Most thermostats that are programmable have what is called a room temperature offset feature that allows you to adjust plus or minus 5 degrees from what the actual temperature is. There are some that also have a lockout feature that allows a program to be set and then locked to prevent several people from changing the setting. Of all the digital thermostats that I have used and installed, they all defaulted back to the heat mode with a predetermined setting to keep pipes from freezing and causing severe damage while no one is home. Most have a battery backup or a tiny capacitor to retain program settings and clock setting. Most are what is called a "power stealing" type that uses 24 volts from the HVAC equipment for proper operation. If the power goes out, the display will go blank but when the power is restored, the display and all settings should be retained unless power is off for an extended period of time. The thing to keep in mind is that there are probably about 10,000 different kinds of thermostats out there and each one is different from the other. Stick to the well known names for best results and performance ( Carrier, White Rodgers, Honeywell ).

What I find most irritating is the fact that every thermostat has a different mounting pattern. I have mulitple holes due to changing out the thermostat. My current thermostat is "hanging" because none of the holes match up and the screws were all different sizes so none of them are the same size either. I think one screw is all I could get into the wall. I am going to mount it to a piece of wood and attach that to the wall which is a real pain in the butt.

I have a 3 story house plus basement. When I moved in the thermostat was located on the first floor on the opposite facing wall of the fireplace. To many times I think people over look the placement of this device to acheive an average temperature. I moved my new thermostat to the second floor on an inside wall (hallway) that that gets no direct sunlight.

The second way I addressed the issue is to create baffles in the basement main lines. These are simple sheet metal pieces with an outside lever to control the flow to the needed section of house in a very crude manner. These do help as well as tuning the actual register vents as well.

The third method was in the initial design of the system. I located the furnace to have the main trunk line run directly north of the furnace. This allows for maximum cooling to the warmest room in the summer months.

The main issue I have is the understanding of how many degrees (from a cost value perspective) one should reduce the temperature in times when the occupant is away or asleep vs the average at home living temperature. AKA is it more cost effective to drop the temperature to 60 when away all day to bring it up to 68 when you come or is the ideal away temperature 58 or 63 etc. I have never actually read a study on maintaining a base temperature but I have heard lots of discussion.

Thanks for everybody's comments. I'm off to purchase two new replacement thermostats for my 2 family home and my tenant asked for a dual clock model. That means what? The house has old wiring so it sounds like I have to stick with 2-wire and that a programmable won't be worth the investment for my situation. One more comment: my thmst is fixed just above my eyelevel so I have to find something to stand on every time I want to make a change. How about a way to adjust "eye-level" since few of us are the same height as the contractor who put the thing in? I would also like larger, easier to read. Thanks for everybody's questions and the informative answers!

We must all remember that these are mechanical systems that are subject to a lot of factors, some that we just can't control. We just installed a fancy (and expensive) programmable thermostat and are still figuring out what to set when, but there probably will still be times when I'm sweating while my wife is freezing, or vice versa. Now that winter is upon us, I'm reminded what my wife's grandmother from Georgia used to say: "If you're cold, go put on some sleeves!"

The big, round dial-style thermostat is no longer the only type of thermostat available. As a that can blend with a homeowner's theme. They look sort of like photo frames. I just put a metallic model in a client's contemporary home and it blends in with the minimal design accessories. I'd recommend these stats to clients that are concerned about controls interfering with their home's design,.