Selecting the Right Thermostat for Your Steam Heating System
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.
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