Rarely do we think about our household thermostats, those little silent devices that hang on our walls, sending us the right amount of cooled or heated air 24/7. Essentially, they are heat-activated switches that open and close in response to room temperature, turning your heating and cooling units on or off. To maximize your comfort, thermostats are designed for a swing of about two degrees between the point where a unit is turned on and turned off as your room heat rises and falls.

Today, many of us have more complicated heating and cooling systems that need much more than a simple on off control. You may have such sophisticated components as dual-speed air conditioners, furnaces with two sets of burners, a heat pump or even a zoned system with more than one heating and cooling area. Whatever your heating and cooling equipment may require, you may also want different

temperatures at different times of day or week. And your home will have its own characteristics for the time it takes to cool down and heat up. So you may have any number of such reasons for wanting a little more sophistication than an on-off electromechanical switch. For example, you can get thermostats that will help you avoid overshooting desired temperatures as well as losing residual heat in your system.

So more-complicated, programmable electronic models are taking over for the simpler electro-mechanical types. And the newer models often have convenience and operating options that you might find worth the extra cost. Then, these newer thermostats may be more difficult to program than you’d wish. You professional contractor can help you decide what makes the most sense for you by pointing out the various cost/benefit choices you have.