Electronic programmable thermostats are available from local heating contractors, and at most home improvement or hardware stores.
Programmable thermostats can be installed by your local heating contractor, or by using the installation service at your local hardware or home building centre. You may also install programmable thermostats yourself as per the instructions from the manufacturer. Thermostats for electric baseboards must be installed by a licensed electrician.
Yes. Thermostats should be check, cleaned (i.e. blow out any dust) and calibrated periodically. A good guideline is to have your service contractor check the thermostat when performing annual maintenance on your heating system.
If the programmable thermostat is used as directed, it will pay for itself in two to four years.
Programmable thermostats come in many varieties. They can allow for either one or two adjustments a day or multiple changes over a week. To decide the best thermostat for your needs, determine the temperature setbacks you want for your home and look for the simplest thermostat that will meet your individual needs. Make sure that the thermostat is compatible with your home's heating system. If you have a cooling system, choose a programmable thermostat that will control both heating and cooling. If you have a heat pump system, you should review the manufacturer's specifications before considering a programmable thermostat. An improperly used or mismatched setback thermostat can actually increase heat pump operating costs. Most manufactures now offer programmable thermostats specifically designed for heat pumps.
The old mechanical thermostats used for many electric baseboards are not very accurate: they produce a temperature swing of 2 C above or below the desired temperature, causing many people to keep resetting their thermostat. An electronic programmable thermostat has no moving parts, controlling your baseboard heaters much more precisely. Thermostats for baseboards must be installed by a licensed electrician to ensure they are compatible with the power rating (in watts) of the baseboard heater it controls. Replace all your old thermostats with electronic programmable thermostats to maximize your savings.
