Thermostat Replacement Can Pay Off

There are thermostats that can be programmed for up to seven days.  This is valuable, since climate control is less critical if the home is unoccupied.  Remember, pets have needs, so do not consider a home unoccupied unless neither people nor animals are present.

On a normal schedule one way to save energy and money is to have the unit programmed to remain off while everyone is at work or school.  Determine when the first person will return, and have the unit operate towards obtaining the desired temperature with enough lead time so the air is at the desired temperature when needed.  It does take some time to change the temperature inside a building.  How long of a lead time you will need is determined by the cubic feet of air that must be modified, and the efficiency of your unit.

Even more savings can be realized if you are to be away for several days.  The system can be off until just before you return.  But, this must be carefully weighed, since having a system off can cause problems, as described below.

Many people have wireless computer systems for their homes.  A Smart Thermostat can be adjusted from a Smart Phone or a computer.  So, if you are running late, or plan to be home early, adjustment to the programmed thermostat can be easily made.  This will optimize your savings, and minimize your impact on the environment.  And, if you are returning early you can enter a comfortable home.

Basically, a Smart Thermostat can be programmed just like any other programmable thermostat, but the program can be remotely overridden if circumstances indicate a change is needed.

Why not just program remotely every day?  People get busy, and tend to forget to do things.  It is also not a good idea to be reprogramming a thermostat while driving.  So, having the programming done early is the best, but can be overridden from your office if necessary.  Just remember to not do this while driving.

During the winter keeping the temperature high enough to prevent interior pipes from bursting is a consideration.  Also, one must ask whether anything will be damaged if the temperature inside a dwelling gets too cold, or gets too high.  If the temperature gets too high, for example, will the refrigerator operate properly?  And, if the air conditioning is off humidity can rise, which can damage art and collectibles.  In fact, medication usually has a range of temperatures at which it can be stored.  So, it is not advisable to allow temperature extremes in a building.

When considering whether replacing your thermostat makes sense for you consider whether you are comfortable installing one, or if you have a friend who would install one for you.  Using an electrician or an air conditioning and heating repair service might add too much to the initial cost.

Many thermostats have mercury in them.  The mercury is in a sealed tube with a bulb on one end.  Mercury is a good conductor. So if two wires are set into the tube and the mercury expands to complete a circuit, a heating or air conditioning unit can be controlled.

The tube is similar to a thermometer, but the bore is wider.  A dial can be connected to the tube, and turning it changes the angle.  Hence, the angle is associated with the temperature at which the circuit is completed. 

The above is important in that mercury may be involved.  Mercury must be disposed of properly.  Otherwise, the tube could crack and people would be exposed to the mercury.

Why is mercury so dangerous?  It is a cumulative poison, meaning what one has in one’s body today will remain, and be added to with future exposures.  It can be breathed in as a vapor, or absorbed through the skin, so ingestion is not the only way of increasing one’s mercury.  A broken vial allows vapor, and the possibility of skin contact.

So, if your old thermostat uses mercury, dispose of it properly. 

Mercury is not the only way to make a thermostat, and those using other techniques are more easily disposed.

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