| Home Energy Savings -- Digital Programmable Thermostat |
From "Home Energy Savings"
episode HES-104 |
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According to home heating specialist Brent Vick, a programmable thermostat offers energy savings as well as convenience and comfort. Its purpose is to manage the temperature settings to conform to the schedules of those living in the house. For example, during the winter it may be set to turn up the heat in the morning when people are getting up, then automatically back it down during the day while people are at work. These devices range in price between $30 and $120, depending on the sophistication and precision of temperature tracking. (Some of the lower-end products may result in a temperature deviation of up to 12 degrees.) Installing one may save you up to a third on your heating and cooling costs -- practically paying for itself within a year. Materials: Programmable thermostat
Screwdriver
Hammer
Steps:
- Before you begin the installation, turn off the power to the furnace at the power switch, or at the fuse box or circuit breaker (figure A).
- You'll first need to remove the old manual thermostat. First, remove the cover. If the cover does not snap off when pulled firmly from the bottom, check for screws used to lock on the cover.
- Loosen the screws (figure B) while holding the thermostat to the wall plate, and lift the thermostat away (figure C).
- Disconnect the wires from the old thermostat (figure D).
- As you disconnect each wire, label the terminal designation using a small piece of masking tape (figure E).
- Tip: Wrap the wires around a pencil to keep them from falling back into the wall cavity.
- Important: If the thermostat that you're replacing contains mercury in a sealed tube (figure F), don't throw it in the trash. Contact your local waste management authority, and they can tell you how to properly or dispose of the old unit.
- Now you are ready to install the new thermostat. Start with the wall plate. Position the plate on the wall and level it, and pull the wire through (figure G).
- Use a pencil to mark the mounting holes (figure H), then drill two holes for wall anchors using your marks as a reference.
- Gently tap the wall anchors into the holes until they are flush with the wall. Reposition the wall plate over the holes, and pull the wires through the wiring opening. Secure the mounting plate to the wall with screws (figure I). If you're attaching the unit to drywall, you may want to consider using wall anchors.
- Now it's time to wire the unit. The precise wiring will depend on the brand and type of thermostat you're installing. Read and follow the instructions that come with your model. In demonstration, we simply matched the letter of each old thermostat wire with the corresponding letter on the new thermostat.
- Loosen the terminal screws.
- Slip each wire beneath its matching terminal (figure J). You can either wrap the wire around the terminal or just use a straight connection. Either way is acceptable.
- Tighten the terminals.
- The last step is to install the batteries in the wall-plate (figure K) and snap on the cover plate.
Once the installation is complete, test the thermostat to make sure that it works. Set the fan to 'AUTO' and set the temperature higher than the existing room temperature. The furnace fan should kick on and warm air will start to flow from your vents. Now you can program the thermostat. Different models will operate differently, so follow the instructions for your particular unit.
The unit installed in our demonstration has a factory-set default program that engages automatically once you set the date and time. You can then make custom adjustments to your liking.
Most programmable thermostats also have a manual override feature that allows you to reset the temperature anytime you like.
Tip : In general, set the thermostat to a comfortable setting for the time period you know your family will be home -- in the early evening, for example. Then lower the temperature for the time no one is home or when you're asleep. This is where you'll save money.
RESOURCES :
136 Best Ways to Save on Your Home Energy
ISBN: 0376012048
(January, 2002)
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
Retrofitting for Energy Conservation
Model: 0070119201
Author: William H. Clark
McGraw-Hill Companies
Website: www.mcgraw-hill.com
Energy-Efficient Building: The Best of Fine Homebuilding
ISBN: 1561583405
From The Best of Fine Homebuilding book series.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
Save Energy, Save Money
ISBN: 0028642791
Authors: Alvin Ubell, George Merlis
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Achieving Energy Independence -- One Step at a Time
Model: 0966933605
Author: Jeffrey R. Yago
Dunimis Technology
Solar Living Source Book: The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living
Model: 0916571041
Author: John Schaeffer (Editor), Doug Pratt (Editor)
(Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook, 11th Ed)
Real Goods
Website: www.realgoods.com
The Solar Electric House: Energy for the Environmentally-Responsive, Energy-Independent Home
ISBN: 0963738321
Author: Steven J. Strong, William G. Scheller
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Wind Energy Basics: A Guide to Small and Micro Wind Systems
Model: 1890132071
Author: Paul Gipe, Karen Perez
(Real Goods Solar Living Book)
Chelsea Green Publiishing Company
Wind Power for Home & Business: Renewable Energy for the 1990s and Beyond
Model: 0930031644
Author: Paul Gipe
(Real Goods Independent Living Book)
Chelsea Green Publiishing Company
Digital programmable thermostat by Honeywell®
Honeywell Inc.
Website: www.honeywell.com
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