Though you have an HVAC system in your house, you may not pay much attention to it until it stops working. Whenever the temperature in the room is not right, you simply head to the thermostat to adjust the settings. A simple press of a button is the hoped-for solution to get the temperature back to what you want. Although most people understand what it does, few may actually know how a thermostat works. This article will answer the question, “How does a thermostat work?” and hopefully, give you some more insight on one of the most important components in your home comfort system.
Meanwhile, if you have questions about your HVAC system, including “How does a thermostat work,” Galmiche & Sons will be glad to help. In the greater St. Louis area, give us a call at 314-993-1110 for all your heating & conditioning needs.
Understanding How a Thermostat Works
Understanding how a thermostat works is important as it will help you save on the energy you use. Although there are different types of thermostats, they all work primarily in the same way. They usually have a temperature sensor that measures the temperature in your house. That sensor causes the switch to open or close, which either completes or interrupts the electrical circuit to your HVAC system.
Thanks to new technology, thermostats are now being made to program themselves. They learn your preferences and adjust the temperature accordingly. What’s more, thermostats can now be connected to your home’s Wi-Fi allowing you to control the temperature form your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
Different Types of Thermostats
It is quite impossible to answer any question about how thermostats work without knowing the various types there are. These include:
- Programmable Electronic Thermostats– Just as the name suggests, these thermostats are programmable. This means that you can adjust to different temperatures at different times of the day. How electronic thermostats work is by using temperature sensors to determine whether or not the temperature in your house is right. They then activate either the furnace or the air conditioner depending on the settings.
- Electromechanical Thermostats– How electromechanical thermostats work is a bit more technical than the programmable electronic thermostats. These thermostats are usually made from two connected metals. The thermostat contains either a bi-metallic strip or coil that moves depending on the temperature changes. This causes a vial containing mercury to tilt to either end of the vial. Depending on what end the mercury tilts, the vial can either complete or interrupt the electrical circuit, signaling to turn on either the furnace or the air conditioner.
HVAC Zoning & Thermostats
Another element to consider when discussing how thermostats work, is the fact that thermostats play an important role in HVAC zoning. Zoned heating and cooling allows you to divide your house into separate areas that are each controlled by separate settings. Therefore, individual thermostats either open or close the dampers in order to regulate the temperature wherever it is needed.
Contact Us in St. Louis for More Information on How Thermostats Work
We hope that this article has helped you answer the question, “How does a thermostat work?” For more on this, to get a new smart thermostat installed in your home, or if you have any heating & conditioning inquiries for your St. Louis home, give us a call today at 314-993-1110. As your local St. Louis HVAC company, we will be more than willing to help!
