You’re about to venture into a smart thermostat, but you want to make sure your home is ready for it. This usually involves finding a C wire to keep the smart thermostat constantly on, but there are other factors that need to line up. Let’s explore what you need to know.
How do I know if my smart thermostat is compatible?
Terry Walsh/Digital Trends
Smart thermostats have a lot going on inside, and figuring out compatibility can be a bit tricky. A recurring theme with every smart thermostat is the need for a common wire or C wire. This wire provides permanent power to your smart thermostat so it can run in the background all the time. The constant nature of smart thermostats is what allows them to know when people are home and when to automatically adjust the temperature.
- Turn off the breaker on your air conditioner and furnace just to be safe.
- Remove the front panel of the existing thermostat and verify that the wire is connected to the c terminal on the thermostat.
- If not, unscrew the thermostat and gently pull it out of the wall. Unused C wire can be coiled up. If so, you will need to connect the other end of this wire to the c terminal on the oven before connecting the smart thermostat.
- If there is no C wire there either, you can use a G wire instead. The only drawback here is that this means you won’t be able to turn the HVAC fan off and on independently. It will only activate during heating and cooling. Be sure to take a photo of the string setup before you change anything, in case you need to go back.
- To make the swap, you will need to reattach the wire from the guc to the oven, as well as the thermostat.
- If all else fails, smart thermostats usually include a kit that allows you to plug your smart thermostat into a standard AC outlet.
Of course, if dabbling in DIY wiring is too daunting for you, it’s always possible to hire contractors to assess your home’s compatibility and do a complete installation.
What smart thermostat is compatible with my home?
So how do you find your c-string?
All the major brands of smart thermostats are versatile enough to connect to most types of home heating and cooling. Nest and Ecobee products should work. Also, Honeywell should work with your home. All of them should work even without a C cable thanks to the AC adapters. Your heating and cooling source shouldn’t matter either. Heating with gas, oil and electricity is allowed. Add-on systems like humidifiers and dehumidifiers can often be integrated with smart thermostats as well.
There are some exceptions that generally apply to all brands. Cables that use multiple large strands are incompatible. High voltage wires marked 120V or 240V are also incompatible with many smart thermostats. However, this shouldn’t be much of a concern as most homes use low voltage for their thermostats.
Do smart thermostats work in every home?
Strictly speaking, smart thermostats do not work in all homes, but they do in the vast majority. Typically, you need a central HVAC system in order to install a smart thermostat.
Smart thermostats also require Wi-Fi and a smartphone for full control. A healthy amount of the convenience of the smart thermostat is the ability to control it remotely, which you can’t do without an internet connection. It may be worth moving your Wi-Fi router or getting a network extender to make sure your smart thermostat has a strong enough connection to your home network.
How to choose a compatible thermostat?
First, you can browse the list of our favorite smart thermostats and find one that meets your needs. It is most likely compatible. To check, individual brands have compatibility tools to ensure your smart thermostat will work with your home. This usually includes a list of the wires included with your current thermostat (see above for how to find them). So once you remove the cover from your current thermostat, look at the letters associated with the wires that are currently connected. Then visit the appropriate compatibility page to make sure you’re all set.
We hope this information puts your mind at ease when it comes to choosing a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats have the potential to lower your monthly bills by intelligently turning off climate control when it’s not needed and using predictive motors to keep your home comfortable when everyone is home. With all the work involved in compatibility testing and installation, we think you’ll find a smart thermostat worth buying.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn