What is a Thermostat
A thermostat is an instrument which responds to changes in temperature and controls the temperature of your home or building.

Typical positions on heating and cooling thermostats.

Fan Operation

• "AUTO" is for operating the fan only when the heating or cooling equipment is operating.
• Set at "ON" the fan will run continuously. On some thermostats this position may be identified as "CONT". This setting is normally used for ventilation and air filtration purposes.

Heating and Cooling Operation

• In the "OFF" position both heating and cooling are off.
• At "HEAT" only the heating system is on.
• At "COOL" only the cooling system is on.
• At "AUTO" either heating or cooling is provided, depending on the home or building requirements. This is known as "Automatic Changeover". Thermostats without this "AUTO" position are "Manual Changeover".
• At "EMERGENCY HEAT" the electric furnace is used instead of the heat pump. This position is used when the heat pump is broken.

Body configurations of thermostats vary considerably between manufacturers and applications. Not all positions listed above will be available for every type of thermostat.

Programable Thermostats
The thermostat that we recommend for use on most heating and cooling systems is called a "Programmable" thermostat. With a programmable thermostat you increase your comfort level and energy savings by electronicly storing your desired temperature settings.

Not only do you tell the thermostat what temperatures you want while your home, you also tell it what temperatures you want while your away.

You can save up to 40% on your energy costs, depending on what thermostat you choose.

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