A thermostat that is defective, improperly placed or just outmoded can cause high home heating bills and poor comfort control.
And in most situations, you can easily solve the problem with a new basic thermostat-suitable for most gas or oil heating systems and designed for do-it-yourself installation-that can be bought for less than $50.
An automatic or programmable thermostat for oil and gas systems, equipped with mechanical or electronic systems that allow money-saving temperature setbacks, can be bought for less than $100. Some automatic thermostats also can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, but others won`t work without a special isolating relay that is best installed by a heating-cooling technician or electrician.
The automatic-setback feature on many modern thermostats can be a major fuel and money saver in homes not equipped with it, or in homes where setbacks are not being used. Most of these thermostats provide for at least two daily temperature-setback periods, when the usual temperature setting of 68 or 70 degrees can automatically be reduced to fuel-saving ranges.
Many homeowners use the setbacks during normal sleeping and working hours. Advanced thermostats also permit automatic setback changes for weekends. It`s fairly easy to alter or override setbacks temporarily on any of these thermostats.
Daily setbacks
According to studies, two daily, eight-hour setbacks of 10 degrees each will reduce annual fuel use by about 24 percent in a typical home in the Philadelphia area. A single nighttime setback of 10 degrees for eight hours will reduce heating costs in that area by about 12 percent, and an eight-hour, five-degree setback will save about 8 percent.
Setbacks of fewer degrees or less time will result in less, but still significant, savings. Setbacks must be used with care in homes with older people and pets, however, because they can experience discomfort or health problems if temperatures are too low.
Poor comfort control is a frequent symptom of an improperly positioned or defective thermostat. In general, a thermostat is best placed on an interior wall of a frequently occupied room. Most thermostats should be placed about five feet from the floor. Because the thermostat will react to the air temperature in its immediate vicinity, it should not be installed too near random sources of heat or cold, such as lamps and appliances, drafty doors and windows, or heating registers and radiators.
Maintenance
Thermostats can perform erratically if dust accumulates on the electrical contacts. It`s therefore wise to occasionally remove the thermostat cover and gently blow on the mechanism. If the interior appears very dusty, a soft artist`s brush can be used to clean parts. Be careful not to touch electrical parts or contacts with your fingers.
Many automatic thermostats use batteries to control timer mechanisms. A heater can usually be operated with a dead thermostat battery, but the automatic-setback function will be lost. If a dead battery is suspected, consult the owner`s manual for information on replacement. In some cases, replacement batteries can be obtained only from the thermostat manufacturer or a heating-supply dealer. Many newer thermostats use easy-to-obtain alkaline batteries.
