setbackthermostat.htm Setback thermostat: Although
a thermostat is the brain which starts and stops every central heating
system, most home owners pay little or no attention to this important
little device until it actually fails to work. Thermostats are fairly
delicate instruments which should not be tampered with by the average
person, but there are some things you should know about that can make a
considerable difference in how your system operates and, in fact,
whether or not it operates at all. First of all, if the unit is more
than about fifteen years old it is probably a good idea to replace it
entirely with a new one. New ones operate more efficiently, with fewer
spells of excessive heating or cooling, and they keep the temperature
closer to the setting you desire. Setback thermostats can be purchased
that have built-in timers or computers that can be programmed so that
the heat will be turned down automatically each night, and up before you
rise in the morning and conversely for cooling. There are two major
types of setback thermostats the mechanical type and the electronic
type. The more sophisticated, computerized models allow for multiple
setbacks (or temperature changes) each 24 hour period. They can change
the setting several times a day while everyone is out, yet return the
setting to the proper comfort level just before everyone comes home. Be
aware that the inspector does not check the accuracy of thermostats. If
you find your thermostat to be grossly inaccurate a qualified heating
contractor may be able to recalibrate it, but most thermostats will need
replacement.