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Thermostat – Its Types and Which Suits You Better

To maintain a comfortable and perfect environment inside your house or any other building is essential whether the temperature outside is scorching hot or cold. To ensure a comfortable atmosphere indoors, you need the right type of thermostat. There are various options for thermostats in the market that may confuse you.
So if you are wondering about the type of thermostat that suits you best, you need to read this article to make a wise decision according to your needs. But before that, let’s look at what a thermostat is.


What is a thermostat, and how does it work?


A thermostat is a device that maintains a constant temperature in its installed area. It also turns the cooling and heating system on or off as required. This device is sensitive to the temperature in its surroundings and uses it to determine whether your cooling or heating system needs to be turned off or on. In this way, it ensures that an optimal temperature is maintained indoors. The operation of the thermostat will depend on whether the thermostat is a mechanical one or a digital one.
If your thermostat is a mechanical one, it will work by using a metal piece to break off the circuit and thus stop the flow of current to your cooling and heating system with the help of a bi-metal coil. This strip coil will expand with an increase in temperature and contract with a decrease in temperature from your optimal temperature setting.
This sensitivity of the metal to changes in temperature will let it restrict or allow current flow through the circuit. Whereas, in a digital thermostat, instead of a metal strip or coil, there are built-in sensors that sense the surrounding temperature and decrease or increase the electrical resistance in the circuit. After a specific level of resistance is achieved, the thermostat will signal for the turning off of the cooling and heating system.
What are the types of thermostats concerning voltage consumption?
According to the voltage they require for operation, there are two types of thermostats.


1) High voltage thermostat


This type of thermostat uses high voltage to operate. It is also known as a line voltage thermostat. This type of thermostat indicates that your appliance is ready to be used by plugging into the socket. There are two further kinds of high voltage thermostats.
·         Single pole/two-wire thermostat
·         Double pole/four-wire thermostat
The four-wire thermostat can turn off when needed, but the two-wire thermostat can only be switched to the lowest possible setting.


2) Low voltage thermostat


This low voltage thermostat is a directly wired controller, which can control any type of systems such as heat pumps,  boilers, air conditioning, furnaces, or radiant heat. This type of thermostat uses a transformer to reduce the voltage to around 12 to 24 volts and requires a small battery. This battery allows the thermostat to recharge and use mainline power when required.
What are the types of thermostats concerning features?
There are various types of thermostats available in the market from which you can choose. These thermostats offer various features that you should know about before you choose thermostats.


1) Manual thermostat


This is a traditional type of thermostat that controls the temperature. A mechanical manual thermostat consists of a dial used to change temperature, while a digital manual thermostat contains buttons and a digital display to allow you to change settings.
If you are not proficient in modern tech, this traditional thermostat is best for you. This option is also the best fit if the temperature in your locality does not change much. Even though they have a low upfront, easy to use, and cheaper option, they offer limited features and thus do not allow energy efficiency.


2) Customizable thermostat


This thermostat allows you to control your heating and cooling system more efficiently. You can set settings according to your schedule and set different temperatures according to the hours you are present or not. It includes features like touchpad customization, voice-phone customization, air filter status, and other settings.
A thermostat that can be programmed and customized according to your schedule and the increased energy efficiency it offers is why it’s so popular. This thermostat will reduce your energy consumption and save on your Utility Bidder energy bills while also allowing you to have increased control over temperature settings to ensure an optimal environment is maintained. However, they have a high upfront cost, take time to set up, and require time to grasp the settings and functions.


3) Data logging thermostat


This thermostat is usually used in the food industry, where a specific temperature needs to be maintained constantly to keep the stored items safe. This data logger will record the temperature setting over a specific period. This recorded data can then later be retrieved and viewed when needed. It can also be used to evaluate the temperature settings.


4) Smart thermostat


These thermostats are programmable thermostats that learn independently and do not need you to get involved in maintaining the right temperature. Over time they learn your needs, habits, and schedule and thus use them to provide a comfortable atmosphere.
They offer an energy-efficient way of using energy and saving on energy costs. These thermostats are best for you if you want automated systems to control your heating and cooling systems to avoid temperature problems. However, the upfront cost of this thermostat is very high, and you may lose control over the heating and cooling system if the services go down.


5) Communicating thermostat


As the name suggests, a communicating thermostat communicates with the heating and cooling system to make the desired changes.  This is done by pairing with each other like Bluetooth devices connect to communicate. In this way, signals can be easily sent back and forth to bring about the desired changes. But these thermostats will work only with a communicating heating and cooling system, which has an extremely high upfront cost but saves you money in the long run. These reduce your energy costs but have difficult installation and costly repairs.


6) Outlet thermostat


This type of thermostat is used with portable heating and cooling systems, thus making it best for small offices and homes where an HVAC system is not installed. You will only have to plug in the device and set the temperature, and the rest will be handled automatically to ensure your settings are maintained. This thermostat is best for those with small working or living space and who do not want to install the appliances.


Conclusion


The first thing you need to do when considering which thermostat is best for your house is to check your house’s type of HVAC system. This will allow you to find the most compatible option you have in the market. You will also have to check whether the thermostats’ features suit your needs or not. Hopefully, this article will help you get started on your search to get the most suitable thermostat for your home to ensure you have a perfectly comfortable environment in your home.

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