Professional Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Thermostats’

Reasons to Consider Upgrading Your Thermostat

Friday, November 21st, 2014

Sometimes it can seem that to really make strides in decreasing energy usage, big changes have to happen: the installation of a new heating system, drastically changing the temperatures you set or installing a fireplace for more supplemental heat. But there is one change you can make that doesn’t require an enormous amount of effort: upgrading your thermostat. Your thermostat controls when and at what temperature your home is heated, and having better control over your thermostat can help you have better control over your heating.

Types of Thermostats

Today’s thermostats have come a long ways since mercury-based dial thermostats and slide thermostats:

Digital – digital thermostats offer a level of precision you won’t get with a slide or dial thermostat. The numbers are exact versus being in a range. Digital thermostats are also more intuitive and have easier-to-use buttons.

Programmable – programmable thermostats have digital technology but take it to another level by giving you the ability to program your heating system for up to 7 days (you can loop the program to have it run continuously). Programming your thermostat allows you to set temperatures to accommodate for the daytime, the nighttime and for times when no one is home – you can even program for weekend and vacation times.

Smart – smart thermostats give you the ultimate control over your heating systems. By downloading a simple app and having access to Wi-Fi, you can program your thermostat, change settings and monitor your energy usage from any smart device.

Why Upgrade?

Better energy efficiency – the better you can control how, when and at what temperature you heat your home, the less heating you’ll use, which helps reduce energy usage.

Better comfort – the precision of an upgraded thermostat allows you to set an exact temperature, which can help improve comfort levels.

Less wear on your system – upgraded thermostats can reduce the amount of time your heating system operates, which reduces the amount of wear and tear on your system.

Convenience – being able to program your thermostat means you don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn your heat up or down.

Can your heating benefit from an upgraded thermostat? If so, call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today and schedule heating service in Covington with one of our experts.

Tags: Covington, Thermostats
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How Do Thermostats Help with Energy Efficiency?

Friday, August 22nd, 2014

Your air conditioner is one of the most important conveniences in your home, but the cost to keep it running in the summer is sometimes surprising. During the summer, cooling costs rise, and it may seem as if the only way to reduce your bills is by shutting off your system entirely. While you could replace your AC with one that is more efficient, this is an unnecessary expense if your air conditioner has not reached its expected lifespan. So what can you do?

A new thermostat may be the best way for you to enjoy a more efficient air conditioner today, without the hassle of replacement. Here are some of the options available in Metairie for new thermostats that can increase the efficiency of your air conditioning system and keep you and your family more comfortable.

Digital Thermostats

Manual thermostats contain dials that may be difficult to set properly. Many homeowners end up setting the thermostat lower than is necessary in order to compensate for the lack of accuracy. However, even a few degrees of difference can increase your bills significantly. A digital thermostat has a clearer display for both precision cooling and efficiency.

Programmable Thermostats

Many digital thermostats are also programmable. When you leave the house, you may feel as though you should keep your air conditioner switched on so that you are greeted with cool air when you return. With a programmable thermostat, you can save money by programming the system to turn on 30 minutes before your arrival instead.

Smart Thermostats

One of the newest innovations in heating and air conditioning technology is the smart thermostat. Smart thermostats have many different features, including the ability to control your air conditioner from a distance. Adjust the temperature from your computer at home. Or, when you’re away from the home, use a mobile device to control your system and receive updates.

A new thermostat can increase the efficiency of your air conditioning unit well before it’s time for air conditioning replacement. The technicians at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning offer installation on new thermostats for your air conditioning system in Metairie. Call us today!

Tags: Metairie, Thermostats
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Reasons to Move Your Thermostat

Sunday, February 2nd, 2014

The small size and basic operation of a thermostat often deceives homeowners into thinking they are less important to their heating than they actually are. The thermostat is not only a control center that gives you access to how your heater and air conditioner operate, it also measures the heat in your home (usually through a device called a thermistor, although older models use mercury sensors) to gauge when to turn the HVAC systems and theirs fans on and off.

You need to take care of your thermostat so you have the best climate control possible in your home. For heating repair service in Matairie, LA, call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning any time of the day or night.

Because the thermostat senses temperature, it’s placement in your home is crucial for it to record accurate readings and provide precision control over the HVAC system. If you are experiencing uneven behavior from your heater or AC that doesn’t seem to stem from a mechanical failure, you should check on the position of the thermostat and ask yourself these questions:

Is the thermostat often in direct sunlight?

The radiant heat from direct sunlight can raise the temperature of an object many degrees above room temperature. If your thermostat is in a position where sunlight from a window falls across it for long stretches, it will record temperatures higher than it should (“phantom readings”), which will lead to it either shutting off the heater prematurely or running the AC for too long.

Is the thermostat near drafts?

A thermostat that is adjacent to windows that are often open, or near to a door that opens to the outside, drafts of colder air will affect its readings and lead to inaccurate temperatures from the HVAC system.

Is the thermostat too far from the center of the house?

With a central heater and AC, it’s important for the thermostat to sense the average temperature of a home to provide accurate information to the HVAC system. The farther from the center of the house the thermostat is located, the more anomalous temperatures it will record. This will turn into a vicious cycle, since the heater and AC will run inaccurately, leading to the thermostat recording further erroneous readings.

If you answer “yes” to any of the above, you should call professionals to move the thermostat to a better position. The wall outside the master bedroom is often one of the ideal spots.

A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning can handle the heating repair in Metairie, LA that will take care of any thermostat problems you have, as well as any malfunctions in your HVAC system. We aim for complete customer satisfaction in all our work.

Tags: Metairie, Thermostats
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