Replacing Your Thermostat? Here’s What to Consider Before You Buy

Thermostats function as the brain of your home’s HVAC system by monitoring and managing your desired comfort level while also operating efficiently.

As a homeowner there will come a time when you’ll need to replace your thermostat, and with a variety of models on the market today, choosing the right thermostat can be a daunting task.

Here’s our step-by-step guide and considerations to help you select the best thermostat for your home.

Types of Thermostats to Consider

When replacing your thermostat, its critical to research and understand your options as the market has a wide variety of thermostats that address the unique needs of a household.

Manual Thermostats

Manual thermostats are the most basic level of thermostats. Often these types can be found in office buildings, college dorm rooms, apartments and more.

These thermostats require an individual to manually adjust the temperature, as it does not offer any hands-off control features. If you install this type of thermostat, you’ll need to be diligent to ensure you’re not running up your energy bills.

Programmable Thermostats

If you’re in need of a model that can automatically adjust the temperature, then we recommend a programmable thermostat.

Programmable thermostats are a great alternative that helps reduce the cost of energy bills by allowing homeowners to schedule desired temperature settings that the thermostat can automatically manage and adjust throughout each day.

Smart Thermostats

The latest and most energy efficient thermostats on the market are smart thermostats. These types of thermostats take the capabilities of a programmable thermostat even further and on average can help you save anywhere from 8%-15% on your monthly utility bills.

Smart thermostats learn and memorize household patterns and become highly intuitive when it comes to heating and cooling your home. Furthermore, with their Wi-Fi capabilities, they can be monitored and operated from your smartphone or tablet from anywhere.

A Chas Roberts professional can help you choose a new, more energy-efficient thermostat that’s right for your home and desired comfort level.

Additional Considerations to Keep in Mind

Beyond the type of thermostat, you’ll also need to consider your home’s capabilities as well as the features each thermostat will offer. Although every model will offer different features, here are additional considerations to keep in mind before your purchase a new thermostat:

Inspect your Wiring

Before replacing your thermostat, you’ll want to open your existing thermostat and identify what wiring you have. Manual and programmable thermostats typically work with your existing wiring. Smart thermostats often require a common wire (c-wire) that provides continuous power for features like Wi-Fi and displays.

If you don’t have a C-wire and you’ve purchased a smart thermostat, a Chas Roberts professional is here to help.

Warranty

Thermostats are a type of device that homeowners don’t typically upgrade often, so it’s important to make sure that your model has a warranty. Warranties will vary between each model but typically range anywhere between 2-5 years or longer if installed by professionals.

Evaluate Your HVAC System

Most thermostats will work with your existing HVAC system — however, be sure to check the packaging before you purchase for any exceptions. If your home relies on two-stage heat pumps, not all smart thermostats will support this. If you have separate heating and cooling systems, you’ll need a separate thermostat for each system.

Conclusion

With the colder weather quickly approaching, you’ll need to ensure that your home is equipped with an accurate and reliable thermostat.

The easiest and safest way to ensure you have the right thermostat installed properly is by contacting an expert at Chas Roberts.

Chas Roberts is the oldest and largest residential HVAC company in Arizona and has been family-owned and operated for over 75 years. Contact us for reliable, quality service.