Selecting the Right Thermostat for Your Steam Heating System

Schedule Now

Choosing the right steam heating thermostat is important. Not every thermostat is right for every situation or system. Your system must work well with your chosen thermostat, which must also be set up correctly. There are a number of tips you should review before buying a new thermostat for your system.

Programmable or Manual Thermostats?

While programmable thermostats may seem like an excellent choice, they aren’t always cost-effective. In some situations, they may simply not be necessary. If a household member spends time in the home on a daily basis, a simple manual thermostat is equally as effective. Programmable thermostats are a good choice if you spend more time outside of the home than within it. When set up correctly, a programmable thermostat can save money. If you choose a programmable thermostat, follow these tips for setting the thermostat up correctly.

Special Considerations

Steam-based heating systems may benefit from the use of a performance-tracking thermostat. Because steam-based heating systems take several hours to warm environments up after complete setbacks, it can be ineffective to turn them off entirely. Performance-tracking thermostats can help identify crucial heating periods throughout the day, as well as identify where efficiency is lost. Tracking thermostats monitor how quickly the system is able to output heat, how quickly the environment warms up, and how large a gap there is between when the system comes on and the environmental temperature change. This process can be done manually, but it can be very difficult to track results.

Whichever steam heating thermostat is chosen, care should be taken to ensure that temperature swings are kept to a minimum. A gap of no more than 4 to 6 degrees should be used for setbacks whenever possible, as this provides the best level of efficiency for most systems.

Additionally, keeping your system maintained and in working order will help to ensure your thermostat and system work together well. If you aren’t sure about how to set up your steam heating thermostat, or for other home comfort concerns, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.

Image via Shutterstock.com

"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Image

    Financing

    Image

    Apollo Care Plan