Programmable thermostats

[Tim]

I want to replace the stock thermostats in our house with programmable ones. Can anyone walk me through this at a high level? Is it a complicated process? Any wiring work that needs to be done? Should I hire it out? Or is it possible to get a "plug and play" option? Speaking of options, any specific models that I should be looking at?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

[creekster]

I want to replace the stock thermostats in our house with programmable ones. Can anyone walk me through this at a high level? Is it a complicated process? Any wiring work that needs to be done? Should I hire it out? Or is it possible to get a "plug and play" option? Speaking of options, any specific models that I should be looking at?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

It's not complicated at all. Just go to Home Depot and pick something out you like and bring it home and follow the directions. It's easy.

[BigFatMeanie]

Creek speaks the truth. There's nothing complicated about it. Don't hire someone to do it - it's simply a matter of unscrewing and screwing in wires and the thermostat wire is low voltage anyway so it's not like you're hooking up Romex.

There isn't much difference between the $30 programmable thermostat and the $70 one so unless you are going crazy with whole-house automation, accessible from the internet, etc. then you'll probably just want to get the $30 one.

[Surfah]

Super easy and super efficient. It's nice having a warm home in the morning when you wake up during the winter. Also nice having a cool home to come home to in the summer.

[ewth8tr]

I just did mine last weekend, it's simple.

[falafel]

I just did mine last weekend, it's simple.

New house keeping you busy? You've been noticeably absent lately.

[wally]

I want to replace the stock thermostats in our house with programmable ones. Can anyone walk me through this at a high level? Is it a complicated process? Any wiring work that needs to be done? Should I hire it out? Or is it possible to get a "plug and play" option? Speaking of options, any specific models that I should be looking at?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

I will install it for you. It will only cost $500 for the labor, and you will need to furnish the thermostat.

Payment up front.

[landpoke]

It's not complicated at all. Just go to Home Depot and pick something out you like and bring it home and follow the directions. It's easy.

Unless someone who was either drunk (not me this time) or using some sort of third world wiring protocol did the original work.

[creekster]

Unless someone who was either drunk (not me this time) or using some sort of third world wiring protocol did the original work.

True. Assuming the original wiring was done correctly, however, it is a very simple task.

My only advice would be to label the wires (perhaps using small pieces of masking tape) to keep track of the location they were attached to the original thermostat. Thus, in case you need to put it back, you can do so. Also, if it is wired incorrectly you may be bale to figure out where each wire ought to go by seeing where it was attached to the original thermostat. The odds are, however, that this will be unnecessary and you can just match up colors and hang the thing on the wall.

[bluegoose]

If I can do it, anyone can do it. Really.

[Tim]

Thanks for the input, guys. Glad to know it's a simple process. I'll work on it this weekend during a between conference sessions.

[Tim]

Finally got around to installing these today. Super-easy!

[Surfah]

This is bad ass. Made by a Silicon start up by the guy from Apple who helped design the iPod. $249 is spendy for a thermostat when a top of the line programmable unit is about half that. But it is slick and beautiful. Out next month.

[YOUTUBE]QCJ1PnVlzIE[/YOUTUBE]

[UteStar]

This is bad ass. Made by a Silicon start up by the guy from Apple who helped design the iPod. $249 is spendy for a thermostat when a top of the line programmable unit is about half that. But it is slick and beautiful. Out next month.

[YOUTUBE]QCJ1PnVlzIE[/YOUTUBE]

I have seen that around the internets...it looks completely awesome. Yeah, sign me up!

[RobinFinderson]

This is bad ass. Made by a Silicon start up by the guy from Apple who helped design the iPod. $249 is spendy for a thermostat when a top of the line programmable unit is about half that. But it is slick and beautiful. Out next month.

[YOUTUBE]QCJ1PnVlzIE[/YOUTUBE]

The looks are good. So is the ability to change it over the internet. I'm not too keen on the self-programming.