Do you have a smart or dumb thermostat?

[ZZman]

Older programmable for us.

My utility is offering a killer deal on smart thermostats. Other then the cooler looks I don't think we would benefit much. We are on different schedules and don't have a set number of hours where we are both sleeping or out of the house to allow lower temps. I don't use the programming now as it is

So which do you have? Name of smart thermostat and if you like it.

 

[Skippy722]

We have a Honeywell T9 for the sole purpose of once I’m comfortable in bed I am not walking back downstairs to change the thermostat if I deem it uncomfortable. Other than that, it’s on a temperature “hold” 24/7, which means it otherwise operates as a basic dumb thermostat. It does log runtime and tell me when the filter needs changed. You can also change the filter change interval, based on “days of runtime”.

I can also set the fan to “circulate” mode which will turn on just the fan on and off occasionally to move air through the house. That alone has helped tremendously, with the other thermostat you had off, auto (fan would only kick on when it calls for heat/AC), and on (fan runs constantly). The upstairs would end up boiling hot, ground floor fairly comfortable, and downstairs pretty chilly in the winter regardless of the season.

I can also compare years. Last year in July the average high in my area was 76F with 5 days of rain, 15 days of cloudy, and 11 sunny days. 2023 was an average of 77F, 4 days of rain, 6 cloudy days, and 21 sunny days. But I cut my AC usage by over 30 hours by tinting the windows in the front of my house that face east.

 

[eljefino]

Does "neither" count?

This is my homebrew freeze protection.

I live in a 106 year old house, with pretty good insulation. But there are a couple corners that are suspect, and I've had the baseboard heat pipes freeze. I run a wood stove when it's
So I got a generic Arduino (tm), a thermo-sensor, and relay block. Coded something up so if it's less than 35'F in my unheated, open-soffit basement "stand-up bullkhead" entrance, it runs the downstairs zone for 60 seconds every sixty minutes. The "250" in the lower right corner of the 16x2 display is the "odometer" of how many events have happened since the last power cycle. This way I can roughly judge if it's working, and how cold it's been.

This thing is even more relevant now, as I run a heat pump when it's above 15'F. My #2 oil usage last winter was
To answer the question, my other thermostat is a "LUX" setback model, pretty basic, and 15+ years old.

 

[Snagglefoot]

There’s actually another thread on this that is pretty current. Mine has an outdoor temp sensor and can switch back and forth between the heat pump and propane furnace based on the outdoor temp. It can also decide when to start the heat in the early morning to get the temp to a certain setting again based on the outdoor temp. What it can’t do is automatically switch between AC and Heat in the spring and fall when heat is needed in the morning and AC is required in the late afternoon. It’s an American Standard and has been completely reliable over the last 12 years.

I also have dumb thermostats downstairs in the walkout basement for the hydronic in-floor heat that I run in the winter. I see no use in changing the temp in the concrete slab as it would take forever to induce any change in temperature.

 

[MParr]

I have a Honeywell Pro 3000 non-programmable thermostat. I switched out the programmable thermostat, when I bought the house. I saved the previous Honeywell programmable.

 

[supton]

Does "neither" count?

Bonus points for using cardboard for a breadboard.

Dumb thermostat here. Well, three of them, one for each zone.

 

[eljefino]

Bonus points for using cardboard for a breadboard.

Dumb thermostat here. Well, three of them, one for each zone.

And the handyman's secret weapon, zip ties.

 

[Jdeere562]

Mine is a dumb one. Furnace and thermostat are probably 40 years old.

Just had it serviced yesterday, still runs like a champ. Service man says they don't make em like that anymore.

 

[Jetronic]

Older programmable for us.

My utility is offering a killer deal on smart thermostats. Other then the cooler looks I don't think we would benefit much. We are on different schedules and don't have a set number of hours where we are both sleeping or out of the house to allow lower temps. I don't use the programming now as it is

So which do you have? Name of smart thermostat and if you like it.

Older programmeable, but since I work so varying hours, it's actually used manually now. Turn up the heat when you get home/wake up. By the time you're ready to settle down the house is comfortable anyways

 

[Jetronic]

Mine is a dumb one. Furnace and thermostat are probably 40 years old.

Just had it serviced yesterday, still runs like a champ. Service man says they don't make em like that anymore.

The furnace is from 1973 in my house, the burner was changed in the early 80s though. I changed the fuel pump on it 2 years ago.

 

[ATex7239]

Dumb.

If you want anything in my house you gotta work for it. If I could put the thermostat up hill in the snow I would.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I’ve got 4 Emerson Sensei’s. I like being able to control from my phone and set schedules. They show you usage and send a monthly report via email.

Great for setting things back when traveling and then warming the house up from the airport with my phone.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Had programmable for heat only - frustrating thing when the batteries go. Put the mercury switch bimetal Manual ones back on both zones.

I read they are hard to find now - the classic Honeywell rectangular or round. Only looked at the hardware stores not online.

 

[eljefino]

I have a honeywell "millivolt" t-stat up to camp for the propane wall heater. No mercury, but still a simple bimetallic coil.

My LUX thermostat seems to run off the 24V the furnace gives off. The AA batteries in it carry the programming through power outages, and last a really long time.

 

[I<3oil]

Smart. Ecobee.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

nest e

 

[Hermann]

[QUOTE="I Smart. Ecobee.
[/QUOTE]
My electric utility offers a Ecobee for free. How do you like yours.

 

[BobsArmory]

I have heard that some utilities that give out free smart thermostats retain some control of them. So during "energy emergencies" or high demand they can adjust your temps without your consent. Someone correct me if I am wrong about that.

 

[dishdude]

I have heard that some utilities that give out free smart thermostats retain some control of them. So during "energy emergencies" or high demand they can adjust your temps without your consent. Someone correct me if I am wrong about that.

^ This!! Although I won't say it's without your consent, when you enroll in the program you give them consent. If you want a "smart" thermostat, buy it on your own, they aren't expensive.

 

[JMJNet]

I’ve got 4 Emerson Sensei’s. I like being able to control from my phone and set schedules. They show you usage and send a monthly report via email.

Great for setting things back when traveling and then warming the house up from the airport with my phone.

I have Sensi also. The model is ST55 which is not the touch screen so it still have touch button.
So we can use it like old school smart t-stat or you can use the apps which are shown here in this posting.
I have used it in the previous house and current house and my daughter's rental apt.
I can control it from the IPhone, when travelling or when we are just not at home even when we are home.

That is the way I like it.