[NA] Need a new house thermostat

Matthew

Matthew

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Matthew
For the 2nd time this week our thermostat has had a senior moment. It's a Honeywell programmable, about 15 yo, and it's starting to crap out.

Any suggestions? (I know there are all kinds of WiFi and interweb connected models out there now, too).

We have a basic furnace/AC, not a heat pump, and not a high efficiency system.
 
similar situation - our system isn't zoned so the bedroom will be 10 degrees warmer in the summer and colder in the winter than the living room (where the thermostat is). Can the nest or for that matter one of the competitors be adjusted to set the temperature in an occupied room, irregardless of the rest of the house temperature? i.e. I don't care what the temperature is in the rest of the house as long as the occupied room is correct?
 
mrkbbd said:
similar situation - our system isn't zoned so the bedroom will be 10 degrees warmer in the summer and colder in the winter than the living room (where the thermostat is). Can the nest or for that matter one of the competitors be adjusted to set the temperature in an occupied room, irregardless of the rest of the house temperature? i.e. I don't care what the temperature is in the rest of the house as long as the occupied room is correct?
Click to expand...
Only if the nest is located in that room
 
We have a Honeywell WIFI:
http://wifithermostat.com/Products/WiFi7DayThermostat/

It is great. Relatively easy to setup and get connected online. Lifetime free app access to it anywhere there is WIFI access. Easy to program. Reconnects automatically after power outages. I found ours on ebay for only about $50.
 
mrkbbd said:
Do any of the systems have remote temperature sensors?
Click to expand...

The downside to central heat and air is one temperature sensor controls the system. You can put that sensor anywhere you want, but still one input. One option I like is to install a mini-split in an area like your bedroom. You can keep it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the rest of the house and save some money. Also, provides a level of redundancy in case one breaks you don't need a hotel room.
 
I added wifi thermostats to my wifi home security controller. I put my wife's flat iron and coffee pot on wifi controls, too. I can arm, disarm, change the temps, and turn off forgotten appliances from anywhere. Love it.
 
Alexb2000 said:
The downside to central heat and air is one temperature sensor controls the system. You can put that sensor anywhere you want, but still one input. One option I like is to install a mini-split in an area like your bedroom. You can keep it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the rest of the house and save some money. Also, provides a level of redundancy in case one breaks you don't need a hotel room.
Click to expand...
Our neighbors have a dual system. All was well until both A/C compressors hit their age limit and decided to die the same summer. It's expensive enough to replace one, but they got hit with both.

I've been able to adjust the ductwork in my house and set up a summer/winter configuration that keeps a reasonably constant temperature gradient between the upstairs and downstairs. I just have to go into the basement during the seasonal switchover and make some adjustments.

Since we did some remodeling about two years ago, the room that has the t-stat stays a little cooler now in the summer afternoons than it used to. It faces west, has a lot of windows, and was always the hottest part of the house in the summer. That kept the a/c running, a lot. Adding a roof over our deck shades that room very well now.

We had an older model, might have been Honeywell, that displayed the furnace/AC usage each day. That was nice to get a feel for how long the system had been running from day to day. Our current model doesn't have that. I'll have to see if the models I'm starting to look at have that feature, too.
 
momalley said:
I have a Nest and love it
Click to expand...

I'm not fond of Google knowing when I'm home or away or having the capability of listening in on what happens in my home.

Yeah, tinfoil-ish, but there you go.
 
D'oh!

I just though about needing to pull off the baseplate and see how much re-painting or patching I might have to do. Something like the Nest looks like it has a different footprint than our current horizontal rectangle.
 
Matthew said:
Any suggestions? (I know there are all kinds of WiFi and interweb connected models out there now, too).
Click to expand...

I installed the Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats at our beach house. They have a nice iOS / Android app that allows you to control them remotely. A hour or so before arrival, adjust the A/C or heat. Amazon.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I'm not fond of Google knowing when I'm home or away or having the capability of listening in on what happens in my home.

Yeah, tinfoil-ish, but there you go.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Even worse as you add other devices to the Nest.

There's one home automation device (not Nest) that outright states in their privacy policy that they not only mine the data, but can/will provide the data to advertisers so they can sell you stuff. They use as an example that they will use data from the flood alarm to tell water clean-up companies that you've had a flood and to contact you.

I have to wonder how long it will be before data collected by these companies becomes "discoverable" in lawsuits over home sale disclosures and deficiencies.
 
ggroves said:
I installed the Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats at our beach house. They have a nice iOS / Android app that allows you to control them remotely. A hour or so before arrival, adjust the A/C or heat. Amazon.
Click to expand...

I think I will do that this year for our condo, nothing like showing up in mid-summer to a 80 degree condo that takes hours to cool off!! :eek:
 
mrkbbd said:
Do any of the systems have remote temperature sensors?
Click to expand...

Not for consumers at consumer level pricing.

What you might want to consider is using a Mitsubishi room unit heat pump for rooms that are warmer or colder - this way you can set your main thermostat to an economical setting during heating and cooling season and then add whatever you need to that room from the wall unit.

Or, you can mcguyver it - I had one trunk coming off the air handler - that split off for upstairs and downstairs. I designed a plywood blocker for the downstairs AC so that ALL the air went upstair - I removed it in summer and inserted just an open wood frame so the whole house would get heated. That was a VERY effective solution given how they set up my system. . . ..
 
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comanchepilot said:
Or, you can mcguyver it - I had one trunk coming off the air handler - that split off for upstairs and downstairs. I designed a plywood blocker for the downstairs AC so that ALL the air went upstair - I removed it in summer and inserted just an open wood frame so the whole house would get heated. That was a VERY effective solution given how they set up my system. . . ..
Click to expand...
We have a few of these in various places:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow-8-in-Inline-Damper-ILD8/205442031

Here's a version you can use to add to existing ductwork:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow-8-in-Damper-D-8/100396930?N=5yc1vZc5ho

This is what I use to balance the summer/winter settings for getting cooler air upstairs in the summer and warmer air downstairs in the winter. Set the handle where you want it, mark the duct with a Sharpie, write "summer" or "winter" for each setting you find works best, and it's easy to get them set each season.
 
Geico266 said:
This is the one I had installed as part of a warranty upgrade on our house. They hooked it up to control humidity also. I can set it from anywhere via Smartphone. The Honeywell app works great.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-Wi-Fi-Smart-Thermostat-RTH9580WF/203926327
Click to expand...
I was looking into that one, too. But $$ is steering me away.

I don't have a programmable humidifier (or dehumidifier) so that part might be overkill. I DO like that it displays the indoor humidity levels, though.
 
I have the nest. It is good, but if you don't walk past it occasionally, it thinks that you aren't home any goes to a lower temperature. My wife has had that happen while she works in her office at home. If I'm home, I move around enough that it thinks there is somebody home. I spend most of the winter in Puerto Rico. The internet function is great. I check things out every morning. I like that ability.
 
Geico266 said:
This is the one I had installed as part of a warranty upgrade on our house. They hooked it up to control humidity also. I can set it from anywhere via Smartphone. The Honeywell app works great.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-Wi-Fi-Smart-Thermostat-RTH9580WF/203926327
Click to expand...


OK - right now this is the one I'm leaning toward.

I need to verify the wiring on my existing system later today or tomorrow - there's an extra wire that all wifi units seem to need and I don't know if I have that or if I'll have to anything extra to add it.

I downloaded the app and played with it in demo mode. It seems pretty thorough.
 
Remember to check with your electric company for free (or better) options: by signing up for the "peak usage system control" throttling program with my provider, I get Honeywell wifi remote access thermostats, installed by them, for each of the four HVAC systems in my house. And they pay me $50 for each unit at installation time, and another $200 a year if I don't override the controls during peak usage (pro-rated daily). Hell, I should have put in twice as many zones, I could afford another plane! :rofl:
 
Matthew said:
D'oh!

I just though about needing to pull off the baseplate and see how much re-painting or patching I might have to do. Something like the Nest looks like it has a different footprint than our current horizontal rectangle.
Click to expand...


Nest comes with a horizontal backplate (not required) that you can use to cover the old holes in the drywall. They thought of everything.

It is really a cool product, I installed one last month, and being able to tweak the temp from a 1000 miles away is handy on the day the maid comes, or somebody else will be in the home off schedule.

I bought another one for my parents. That good of a product.
 
momalley said:
I have a Nest and love it
Click to expand...

I have a Generation 1 Nest both at home and the office and really like it!

Being able to make a change via my smart phone or tablet for both instant need and the schedule is one of the best things.

Especially handy during the summer when I want to go into the office on Saturday during the summer and can tell the system 30-45 minutes ahead to start cooling to a comfortable 73°F from the pre-set "nobody there" temp of 85°.

Or today when I'm away from home and I told the home 'stat to not fire up the heater and remain in away status.

They are a bit on the pricey side, but over time, the savings and the features more than paid for the purchase.
 
There is a nest app for the pebble watch. Makes it real easy to adjust the temperature while lying in bed... :)
 
OK, so I'll need to do some creative wiring. I need one extra coductor from the central air unit to the t-stat. I haven't taken the cover off the furnace control panel yet. The cable does have at least one not connected wire at the t-stat end I can use, I might have to connect it at the furnace end if it isn't already.
 
catmandu said:
Remember to check with your electric company for free (or better) options: by signing up for the "peak usage system control" throttling program with my provider, I get Honeywell wifi remote access thermostats, installed by them, for each of the four HVAC systems in my house. And they pay me $50 for each unit at installation time, and another $200 a year if I don't override the controls during peak usage (pro-rated daily). Hell, I should have put in twice as many zones, I could afford another plane! :rofl:
Click to expand...

I did something like that with KCPL almost 25 years ago. That program ran a couple years and I did make quite a few bucks during that AC season because of those rebates.
 
What does the nest/lyric level offer at $250 that the others at 100-150 don't? I've been looking at lyric or nest but this thread has pointed out some significantly cheaper options. This is for a vacation home with just heating (no ac).
 
Sam D said:
What does the nest/lyric level offer at $250 that the others at 100-150 don't? I've been looking at lyric or nest but this thread has pointed out some significantly cheaper options. This is for a vacation home with just heating (no ac).
Click to expand...
Good question. When I chose mine I chose it over the Nest not only for lower cost, but for a larger display which appeared more user friendly.
Reading this thread I can identify 1 feature of the Nest that mine does not have - one poster mentioned his Nest will cut off automatically if someone does not walk by it occasionally; my Honeywell does not do that. Some Honeywell models may offer that feature; I do not know.
 
The nest is a learning thermostat and will will your routine without initially setting up a schedule and will continue to adjust based on your patterns
 
I like the ability some t-stats have to randomly run the fan when the furnace/ac isn't active. In spring we'll leave windows open, allergies permitting, but if there isn't breeze we don't get much cross ventilation. So we'll turn on the fan, but it's only on or off. Some of the newer t-stats will run it at about a 35% duty cycle on a random pattern.

As far as the Nest/smart things go: I guess that would be nice to have on those days where you take a day off from work and you don't have to remember to reset the temp to let it know that someone is home.
 
Temps are in single digits and I need to access the furnace control panel so I can verify a connection (the wifi t-stats need one more conductor). But I'm not touching anything until things warm up a bit.
 
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