Does Every Thermostat Work With Every Furnace?

Shopping at your local home improvement store can be a fun experience. You wander the aisles, finding all sorts of gadgets that can make your home more efficient, cozier, and easier to maintain.

Down one aisle, you’ll find a variety of thermostats promising all sorts of bells and whistles. Hook one up to your smart device and you can control everything from the touch of a button. Yet before you settle on buying a new thermostat and bringing it into your home, there’s something to keep in mind.

Thermostats are not a one-size-fits-all product. Not all thermostats work with all furnaces. There are three basic types of thermostats:

• Low-voltage
• Line-voltage
• Millivolt

Before you invest in a new thermostat, it’s important to find the one best suited for your needs.

Low-voltage thermostats

A low-voltage thermostat is the most common and versatile on the market. You’ll find these in homes all across the Front Range. They run on 24 volts of electricity and are powered by a transformer wired to a standard 100-volt circuit.

Low-voltage thermostats are most commonly used with conventional gas forced air furnaces. This includes both a standard pilot and electronic ignition starters. You’ll also find them with electric forced air furnaces, single and multi-stage heat pumps, hot water boilers for radiant heat, or electric central air conditioning systems.

Line-voltage thermostats

Line-voltage thermostats are powered by standard home wiring circuits. They are used primarily for electric resistance heating systems, which are commonly used with electric baseboard or in-wall heating systems.

They aren’t as sensitive as low-voltage thermostats, and can require as much as 7 degrees in fluctuation to achieve your desired results.

Millivolt thermostats

Millivolt thermostats aren’t very common, and work using a very low voltage, 750 millivolts, or 0.75 volts of power. They do not require a transformer and are not connected to the household wiring. Instead, they are commonly used in direct or top vent wall furnaces.

Which thermostat is best for your needs?

You can start by reading up on the HVAC equipment you currently own. Check with the manufacturer to find out what they recommend.

And if you have any questions about installing or operating your heating or cooling equipment, give us a call. We can evaluate your system, make suggestions for helping increase efficiency, and ensure your furnace and air conditioner are working as well as possible.

That will reflect in how comfortable you are inside your home, and how much money you spend on your utility bills each month