Poll: What Kind of Home Thermostat Do You Have?

[Koolau]

Voted "none." Here in paradise, we have no HVAC (so no thermostat). On the mainland, our apt. has heat/AC with a programable CA 1980s. We use it only manually. If we go out, we turn the AC warmer. When we return, we set to our comfort temp at the time. During hiatus, landlord keeps at 50 or 55 to keep pipes from freezing.

Never could master a complicated thermostat, but could always remember to lower/raise as appropriate. (Full disclosure, DW always had veto power over any thermostat changes.) YMMV

 

[Sue J]

To me the best thing about the digital/programmable ones is that the temp is very precise. When we had the old fashioned round kind the temperature swings were too large before the heat or AC turned on or off. Also, we used to turn the heat down manually at night and back up in the morning but you never got it quite exactly on the temp you wanted.

We have a nice programmable that came with the 2011 HVAC replacement. It has settings for wake, away, return and sleep M-F and Sat-Sun but we keep the wake, away and return all the same temp since DH is retired and I'm home most of the day, too.

The Nest sure is slick, but we already own this one and don't really need to access it via wi-fi.

 

[Walt34]

We have a basic programmable similar to the one in the OP but I turned all that stuff off. It is set to 78 and pretty much stays there year round +/- a degree or two occasionally.

 

[Svensk Anga]

I have two simple programmables. One for upstairs, one for downstairs. I tracked electric bills for the first year after switching. They saved $330 for maybe $70 invested. We still w*rk (OMY), so can save some by letting temperatures drift while we are out. Also, we spend most of our waking hours downstairs, so the upstairs program starts an hour or so before normal bedtime. Also upstairs temperature is allowed to drift from the comfort zone on weekends. It is very easy to override the program when needs change.

 

[Rick_Head]

Old/simple programable that I put on 'hold' so it doesn't screw with the set point! Yeah, I know, shame on me.

This poll should have had a category for "programable used as manual"

+1

 

[mike143]

Nest, with set points at every hour in case we screw with it. I had a habit of adjusting it at night and not being aware of it. When I had a conventional programmable it was in manual mode most the time.

I have the Nest setup to go up to 82 in cooling mode when away. I like the ability to put it in away mode or take it out via the internet (web or smart phone app). I also have it run the fan for 15 minutes every hour to help keep the temperature balanced throughout the house. If heating or cooling is called for during the hour duration it is subtracted from the 15 minutes.

I wish I could have some humidity control also. I originally had set to 78 during the day but some days the humidity crept up near 60% RH.

 

[Rustic23]

We have the same one listed in the OP. However, we really don't use that much of the program capabilities. We are home most of the time and tend to just set a temp and Hold. Had a similar when w@rking and use all it's functions.

 

[tulak]

I installed an EcoBee Smart Si last year. It's not a learning thermostat like the Nest, which is something I didn't want. I was looking for something that lets me program the thermostat from the computer and control using my smartphone. It also collects usage data, which is interesting to observe over time. So far it's worked great and I would buy again.

 

[mike143]

I installed an EcoBee Smart Si last year. It's not a learning thermostat like the Nest, which is something I didn't want. I was looking for something that lets me program the thermostat from the computer and control using my smartphone. It also collects usage data, which is interesting to observe over time. So far it's worked great and I would buy again.

You don't have to enable the learning mode, we didn't.

 

[Ronstar]

2 Honeywell programmables. 1 for each of 2 separate heating/cooling zones. Just switched to programmables a couple of years ago. DW had the heating guy come over and put them in when I wasn't around. We really had them changing temps when we were working. No not so much.

 

[donheff]

Not programmable. In the winter I turn it down when I head up to bed and up when I come down in the morning. In the heat of the summer I turn off the AC when I go to bed (and turn on a bedroom window unit) and reverse in the morning. I can't see any use for a programmable.

 

[easysurfer]

Manual but LCD.