Are you looking to upgrade your thermostat in your home? You’ve made a smart decision. A smart thermostat will not only help you control your indoor temperature remotely, but it will also help monitor your power usage inside your home.
It is quickly becoming an essential gadget that can save energy and reduce your monthly electric bills. In most cases, the installation of a smart thermostat takes minutes. However, before you install, you need to ensure that your thermostat is compatible with your HVAC system and wiring.
6 Easy Steps to Install a Smart Thermostat
Here are the top steps to guide you during the installation of your smart thermostat.
Turn off the power
You should start off by turning down your HVAC unit’s power and ensuring that the voltage is low. This will help ensure your safety as you install your new thermostat, and will protect your device, preventing you from short-circuiting individual components within the system. You should also consider installing the thermostat during the day when most of the household is away.
Open the old thermostat
Next, pull the faceplate off the current thermostat using a screwdriver. You should also be able to view the low-voltage wire and the backplate. This is where a licensed HVAC technician can come in handy, so don’t hesitate to call if you need help.
Label the wires
Label the wires of the old thermostat before removing them. If the wires are colored, then you could possibly proceed without labeling them. Although it is still recommended to either label them or take a picture to help your memory later on.
Take the old thermostat off the wall
After clearly labeling the old thermostat wires, use a screwdriver to unscrew the thermostat and carefully unplug it from the wall. When you have removed the old thermostat you should see the labeled wires through the wall, and will then be able to proceed with the installation.
Position your new thermostat
Most thermostat manufacturers include labels to simplify the installation process. Use a level to tell whether the device is correctly placed on the wall, and make a mark to determine where you will need to drill. If your smart home thermostat does not have an internal level, you can use an external level to ensure that you drill the wall correctly.
Attach the wires to the new thermostat
After finding the ideal location to place your thermostat, you need to connect the labeled wires to the correct locations within the new thermostat. Connect each labeled cable to the correct terminal on the base plate. All these wires need to fit through the center hole of the base plate. You will then need to snap the thermostat firmly to the base plate. The last step is to put the power back on and to follow the prompts on your thermostat to connect to your WIFI.
Mistakes to avoid while installing a thermostat
Installing a thermostat may also involve a few mistakes on the part of the installer. These mistakes may waste your time, material and money. So, avoiding these mistakes is necessary if you want to enjoy the whole process of installation and avail its advantages afterward properly.
Wrong Choice—-Not Selecting a Programmable Thermostat
Although an ordinary traditional thermostat may serve you normally, the real thermostat is the smart programmable one. You can enjoy a lot more additional benefits by the use of a programmable thermostat.
The chief most benefit is the automatic regulation of the temperature. You don’t have to keep changing or setting the temperature adjustment as per your requirement the day long. You may feed the required levels of temperature for the next twenty-four hours and forget the whole thing altogether.
Moreover, you may also set certain off or on timings according to your choice and need. You may adjust it to operate itself just before you leave for home so that it may bring the temperature to your required level. An ordinary thermostat can never serve you all this. So, better use a smart thermostat.
Placement Of The Thermostat
The installation of the thermostat at the right place in your house is a crucial factor regarding its efficiency. The proper placement will definitely cut down your cooling or heating expenses appreciably.
Out of lacking in technical awareness, many homeowners tend to install their thermostats on the following places by mistake.
Close to a window
The warmth of sunlight outside and around the window can increase the temperature of that area. This will make the thermostat consider that you need no more heating. You will have to raise the temperature setting to get the desired result, costing you more energy bills.
Inside the kitchen
Kitchen is usually the warmest place in your house and installing a thermostat here will certainly give you an incorrect temperature reading.
Near the air vents
During the winter months, your air vents blow the warm air which gives the thermostat placed nearby a wrong idea of the overall temperature of the house.
Under direct sunlight
A direct exposure to sunlight must affect the efficiency of your thermostat very badly. It will make your home either very cold or extremely hot. So, never make a mistake to install it under the direct sunlight.
Poor Maintenance
The installation of the right kind of thermostat at the right place is not the only thing that will keep a thermostat working upright. The regular maintenance on the part of the owner is also a key factor in this regard. It will keep your heating and cooling system working efficiently and effectively for a much longer period.
Most of the latest smart home thermostat has a good battery backup to keep them operating even if the power fails. Their timely replacement is very much essential at least once a year. Likewise, if the location of your thermostat is inappropriate, just manage to relocate it to a proper place. Thus, we can say that observing poor maintenance is a major mistake that must be taken seriously and rectified immediately.
Conclusion
Installing a smart home thermostat should be simple with the right guidance. Remember to find an expert HVAC technician if you stick at any stage. Best of all, continue to enjoy the comforts of your home with a smarter thermostat in place.
Featured Image Courtesy: Flickr