If you have a heat pump system and you wanted to convert your standard set back thermostat to a programmable, you may have been taken back by the price.
Don't be fooled by the price of a regular programmable thermostat for a furnace or boiler. I heard people say, "I can buy one of them at the store for twenty dollars!" You will be taking it back to the store when you realize it is not for a heat pump system.
Before I justify the price difference, it is best to explain how a heat pump works compared to a furnace or boiler.
First, you should know the meaning of the term "temperature differential" as it pertains to a thermostat. "Temperature differential" is the difference between the actual room temperature at the thermostat and the set point (the setting you manually set the temperature to) of the thermostat.
When a furnace or boiler thermostat calls for heat, it goes through the same heat cycle whether the temperature differential is two degrees or ten. Some high-efficiency furnaces may have a variable speed blower that will run at a higher or lower RPMs (Revolutions Per Minute) depending on the temperature differential, but the heating cycle (burner on - fan - burner off - fan) is the same.
A heat pump is different because it is designed to utilize auxiliary heat (electric backup heaters) by the temperature difference the thermostat is calling for and the actual room temperature. Depending on the size of your heat pump system, you may have several 'banks' of auxiliary heaters. Each of these 'banks' of heat comes on in stages. The amount of auxiliary heat you use depends on the thermostat's temperature differential. For example, if your room temperature is 65°F and you set your thermostat for 72°F, the heat pump system will start to stage its auxiliary heaters to come on until the indoor temperature is roughly around 70°F. At this point, it will only use the actual heat pump to maintain the temperature.
If you were ever told not to turn the temperature up 4 or more degrees on a heat pump, this is why.
A properly sized and maintained heat pump system should only use its auxiliary heaters as a secondary or supplemental heat source. All heat pump systems need a secondary heat source to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature on exceedingly cold days and nights. Even with supplement electric auxiliary heaters, a heat pump system is a highly efficient heat source compared to fossil-fueled (oil and gas) systems.
A programmable thermostat for a heat pump system is like a miniature computer. It calculates the temperature differential and how much time it would take to heat your home without using an excessive amount of auxiliary heat. For example, if you set your heat pump to be 65°F when you were at away at work between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm and you want it to be 72°F when you got home at 5:00 pm. The thermostat will calculate how much time it would take to go from 65 to 72 degrees and stage the heat pump to raise it to that temperature efficiently using minimal amounts of supplemental heat. You can also program the thermostat for different temperatures for different days and times during those days.
A programmable heat pump thermostat can save 12% to 24% in energy costs compared to a standard set back thermostat depending on the region and usage.
TECH NOTE: If you are a DIYer, research the low-voltage wiring circuit for your system to make sure the new programmable thermostat you are looking to install is compatible.
| Budget Heating:Official Site For Budget Heating & Air Conditioning We offer gas heaters, hvac equipment, heat pumps, split air conditioners & much more to the public at wholesale prices. – budgetheating.com/Thermostats |
| Carrier:Performance Edge Programmable Thermostat - TP-PRH01-B | Carrier - Home Comfort | The Performance Edge programmable thermostat (TP-PRH01-B) offers relative humidity control, and intelligent system management in a sleek design. – carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/thermostats/non-wifi-thermostats/tp-prh01-b |
| eAccess Solutions:Honeywell is the leading manufacturer of thermostats; Honeywell programmable heat pump thermostats provide precise temperature control with digital accuracy. – honeywellconsumerstore.com |
| eComfort:Heat Pump Thermostat superstore. Huge selection of Programmable Heat Pump Thermostats. Buy Smart Heat Pump Thermostat Direct and save. – ecomfort.com/thermostats/heat-pump-thermostats |
| Emerson:Thermostat installation and programming guide | Editor's note: Step-by-step guide to assist in installing and programming White Rodgers and Emerson thermostats. – thermostatwizard.com For more information on this guide go to Emerson Do-It-Yourself Thermostats. |
| Honeywell:Wi-Fi Programmable Home Compatibility | Editor's note: Check to see if your current HVAC system is compatible with Honeywell wi-fi smart thermostats. – honeywellhome.com/en/general-pages/wi-fi-programmable-thermostat-home-compatibility For more information on this guide go to Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostats. |
| Hunter:Universal 7-Day Programmable Thermostat | Hunter Home Comfort – hunterhomecomfort.com/product-p/44378 |
| Kele:Honeywell FocusPro Residential and Light Commercial Thermostats, AHU Communicating Thermostat Single and Multistage, Programmable and Non-programmable, (BACnet, LON, N2) and more building automation productions available to ship. At Kele we make it easy to find the right Thermostats and Controllers product. – kele.com/thermostats-and-controllers/types/heat-pump-thermostats |
| Lowe's:Find Thermostats at Lowes.com. Shop WiFi, programmable, touch screen and smart thermostats from brands like Honeywell, Nest, Trane, White Rodgers and more. – lowes.com/search?searchTerm=heat+pump+thermostat |
| Lux:TX9600TS Brio Programmable Thermostat | Easy installation and programming - Large, bright, touchscreen interface - Leading consumer magazine "best buy". Spec sheet. Single stage heat pumps and heat pumps with Aux/Emergency heat. – shop.luxproducts.com/collections/tx/products/tx9600ts |
| Nest:The Nest Learning Thermostat doesn't need programming. It learns your schedule and uses Wi-Fi to connect to your phone. It's better than smart. It's thoughtful. – nest.com/thermostats/nest-learning-thermostat/overview |
| Radio Thermostat:Wi-Fi Thermostats | Radio Thermostat Company of America – radiothermostat.com |
| Robertshaw:RS7000 Series - New | Robertshaw Climate | The RS7000 Series Wi-Fi touchscreen thermostats are automatic changeover thermostats with up to eight programmable periods per day! – robertshawclimate.com/thermostats/rs7000-series |
| Shop Thermostats:A heat pump is a single system that heats and cools. If you have a heat pump you will not have a separate air conditioning system. A multi-stageheat pump has an emergency or auxiliary heat setting for especially cold days. These systems are popular all over the country, but especially in the Northeast. Generally more than five wires are used and almost always with a W2 and a C or X wire. – shopthermostats.com/shop/application/heat-pump |
| SupplyHouse:Thermostats at wholesale prices - including Honeywell Thermostats, White Rodgers Thermostats, and Robertshaw Thermostats. The thermostat acts as the interaction point between a person and their heating system. A properly functioning programmable thermostat can help to save money on energy bills. – supplyhouse.com/SimpleComfort-PRO-Thermostats |
| The Home Depot:Shop our selection of Thermostats in the Heating, Venting & Cooling Department at The Home Depot. – homedepot.com/s/heat%2520pump%2520thermostat |
| Thermostat Warehouse:Heat Pump Thermostats | Thermostat Warehouse – thermostatwarehouse.com/Heat-Pump-Thermostats |
| Trane:ComfortLink II XL1051 | Wi-Fi Enabled Thermostat | See if the ComfortLink II XL1050 is the right Wi-Fi-controlled thermostat for you and your home. You can program your in-home comfort for up to seven days. – trane.com/residential/en/products/thermostats-and-controls/comfortlink-xl1050 |
| Venstar:Thermostats: Value Series | Programmable | Non-programmable – venstar.com/thermostats/value-series |
| VentingDirect:Touch Screen Thermostats | VentingDirect.com | Shop online and Save Big! We supply all the top brands for touch screen thermostats, Emerson, White-Rodgers and Honeywell touch screen thermostats available. – ventingdirect.com/touch-screen-thermostats |
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