Do-It-Yourself Thermostats

Lucky you. A hundred years ago, rich folks needed servants to rise before dawn and stoke the furnace so the house would be warm when the family got up. Now, you can adjust your home’s heating and cooling while you sleep with a programmable thermostat. It’s affordable, automatic, saves money and, unlike servants, it won’t quaff your cooking sherry or elope with the chauffeur.

It Yourself or Hire a Pro?
A heating contractor will charge between $150 and $225 to remove an existing thermostat and install a new programmable unit. A homeowner with basic electrical skills can do the job for $60 to $120, depending on the cost of the thermostat. The job should take a less then a couple of hours.

Do It Yourself

Before you purchase a new thermostat, note the number and type of wires attached to your old unit. If your old thermostat is connected to thin wires coming directly out of the wall, then it has low-voltage wires, which don’t present a shock hazard. But if the thermostat is wired into an electrical box, then it’s probably running off 120-volt current.

If you’re changing out your existing thermostat to upgrade to a programmable or more modern design, you may be able to do-it-yourself. Thermostats are a low-voltage wiring installation involving anywhere from two to ten wires, depending on the type of heating and cooling system you have. Simply note the previous attachment points (marked by letters) when removing the old thermostat and re-wire the new thermostat to the same points. Read the instructions and proceed carefully. There can be a lot of satisfaction in doing the job yourself.

However, if the job entails more than just a replacement, call your HVAC professional to ensure proper installation and operation of your heating and cooling system.

Programmable Thermostats

A programmable thermostat can save you money on your utility bill - up to 33%, if used as directed. You set it up to adjust the temperature when you are away from home or asleep - when you don’t necessarily need optimum comfort - and your HVAC equipment runs less. Plus, your heating or cooling comes back to a comfort level automatically when you come home or wake up. All Honeywell Programmable Thermostats carry the EPA’s EnergyStar® rating and are designed