Thermostats

June 2 2022

Smart Thermostats: How You Can Benefit from Them

Your HVAC system is equipped with a thermostat to allow you to either raise or lower the temperature. But did you know that modern thermostats can give you more than just the ability to change your home’s indoor climate? You heard it right.

Smart thermostats are revolutionary devices that offer a ton of features and benefits, ranging from convenience and automatic temperature changes. In this article, you will find out more about them.

Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your total HVAC company in Andover MN. We offer a wide range of smart thermostats designed and engineered by Lennox.

What are Smart Thermostats?

If you are still using one of those old, conventional thermostats, you might want to consider switching to a new, smart model. While you could say that your existing thermostat has been serving you faithfully for decades, you sure don’t want to miss out on a lot of benefits, especially savings on utilities.

Smart thermostats make life easier. You can schedule the device to start the system first thing in the morning or make the room warmer at night. In case you want your air conditioning come on just a couple of hours before you get home from work, you can do that, too!

Smart thermostats offer advantages you perhaps didn’t even know were possible. These nifty devices connect to the internet and allow you to manage your home’s indoor environment via a smartphone application. They are able to learn algorithms to help you set the most efficient setups for your thermostat at the most suitable schedules. Smart thermostats use smart assistants such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home to manage your thermostat and heating schedules via voice control.

Benefits of Using a Smart Thermostat

One of the biggest reasons to upgrade to a smart thermostat is for you to save on energy. It allows you to easily schedule your HVAC system to run less while you’re out for the day, so you’ll use less energy by cooling your home only while you’re in it. You can set your unit to start right before family members are scheduled to start coming home, so that your home is programmed to a perfect 72 degrees from the moment you walk in the door.

Many homeowners do not want to install a digital thermostat because they worry that it’d be hard to program, or that it would be too complicated to adjust the heating and cooling schedule. They are afraid the system won’t allow for manual controls. But the fact of the matter is, scheduling your HVAC system is easier with a smart thermostat, and not just because you don’t have to stay on top of adjusting the day-to-day temperature yourself.

A smart thermostat can do more than just learning your schedules. In fact, it discerns your behaviors and will help you set schedules that save the most energy. Certain models have the ability to log the frequency and nature of your interactions with the thermostat to learn your preferences. Over time, these devices get a better idea of your positions, and they can give you suggestions for optimizing your schedule even more efficiently.

Certain digital thermostats allow users to track their energy usage. You can build a home energy profile that gives you information on you how your energy usage has changed over time, how that’s likely to affect your energy costs in the future. Moreover, it tells you how you can adjust your heating and cooling preferences to decrease energy costs even more.

The more you use the device, the more accurate it gets in learning your heating setups. It can also learn how long it takes to heat up a room based on the outside temperature and your home’s heating patterns. This allows you to boost your energy savings while you are away or asleep.

Two-way communicating smart thermostats are monitoring your usage 24/7, collecting data and sharing it with you day in and day out. Their remote interfaces show how much energy you are consuming and can even estimate your potential costs. This data can then be used to make manual adjustments to your settings or you can just let the thermostat do it for you. It all depends on the information gathered by the smart thermostat. The more you know, the easier it is to make changes to your temperature settings and see how it affects your energy usage.

Get Smart with Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning

To upgrade to the right smart thermostat for your home, give us a call. Your trusted Coon Rapids heating and air conditioning company is here to help.

October 21 2021

5 Critical Thermostat Issues You Should Watch Out For

Paul Kwekkeboom Info Articles, Thermostats, Tips and Advice

The thermostat is a part of your HVAC system that very rarely malfunctions, but when it does, it can cause major inconvenience. It seems like a simple piece of equipment but it has complex parts that need to work in perfect harmony to let the device do what it’s supposed to do. If you have a smart thermostat, you may be dealing with more problems than having a traditional, analog one.

Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your leading HVAC company in New Hope MN. We are distributors of some of the best thermostats in the industry — from regular programmable ones to state-of-the-art, smart thermostats — we have it all.

Here are some of the most crucial thermostat issues you can’t ignore.

Placement

The position of your thermostat is essential to its proper functioning. Therefore, you should place it in areas where it can read the temperature as easily as possible. Avoid positioning it in direct sunlight, and heat sources like a stove or a microwave oven. Doing so will allow the thermostat to misread the temperature, making it think that the room is warmer than it is, which will confuse the HVAC system.

Similarly, If it is placed near a window or a doorway where it could be airy, it may think that the house is actually warmer than it actually is. This will cause the thermostat to tell the HVAC system to lower the temperature when it doesn’t need to. This issue will result in inconsistent temperatures and the needless increase in your electricity bills.

To avoid causing further problems to your thermostat, ask a professional to move it to the right location.

Level

Older thermostats should be level at all times to function properly because they’re using mercury to read the temperature. If not, the thermometer in the thermostat will malfunction. Unfortunately, a thermostat that is not level is nearly useless because it cannot maintain the right temperature in your home. So, try to use a level device to make sure it is aligned.

Dirt

Did you know that if the thermostat is filled with dust and dirt, it can’t read the temperature properly? It won’t reach the actual temperature you set it for. So, it’s important to clean the thermostat and get rid of dust, dirt, and grime to allow it to read the temperatures properly. If you have an older thermostat, simply open the unit and remove the dust. To clean the contacts, use a piece of paper and move it between them.

If you feel uncomfortable doing this, contact a technician for maintenance or a protective service. The expert will make sure your thermostat works properly.

No Power

Whether it’s an AC, a furnace or a heat pump, you can detect a thermostat problem if the system fails to power on. This complication occurs when there is a problem in the wiring that connects the HVAC systems, or maybe the thermostat is sending the wrong signals or commands. Also, it could be reading temperatures wrongly and as a result, it fails to turn the system on.

These types of issues require professional inspection, so it’s wise to consult a qualified HVAC technician to assess the problem and apply appropriate solutions.

No Display

A thermostat screen that doesn’t turn on or is only displaying data intermittently can cause problems with your heating or cooling system. This problem can be resolved simply by resetting the thermostat (turning it off and back on).

In some cases, it may only need fresh batteries to work. Just take away the old ones and install the fresh ones, and voila! It’s back online.

Dirt can also be a factor to cause your thermostat’s screen to not turn on. Make sure the inside of the thermostat is clean.

There are times when the thermostat needs to be replaced altogether, especially if there are electronic issues. Most of these issues are covered by the warranty, so check your warranty certificate to be sure.

Contact the Thermostat Pros

If you’re dealing with thermostat issues, call Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning. Our technicians will help you determine the problem and apply appropriate solutions. We will make sure your HVAC system works as it should. We are your trusted Brooklyn Center heating and air conditioning company.

April 15 2021

How to Troubleshoot a Faulty Thermostat

Paul Kwekkeboom Thermostats, Tips and Advice

For the most part, your thermostat works flawlessly and allows your HVAC system to function as usual. But there are times when you try to change the setting, and yet it doesn’t seem to respond. When this happens, you may think that there is something seriously wrong with your furnace or air conditioner. But we recommend that before jumping to that conclusion, you try take a look into possible thermostat issues first. By having some basic thermostat troubleshooting skills, you may save yourself the cost of a service call or unnecessary stress.

Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your reliable HVAC company in Maple Grove MN. We are your experts in home comfort systems, including thermostats.

Thermostats for Beginners

A thermostat is a device that controls the temperature in an HVAC system. It allows you to set a preferred temperature and works to keep your room at your desired level. When your furnace or air conditioner reaches your set temperature, the thermostat will turn the system off to prevent it from overheating.

Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try when your thermostat does not seem to work properly.

No Power

It’s quite easy to determine when there’s something wrong with your thermostat. One of the indications is a dark display. When this happens, a lack of power can be the problem. Therefore, try to open the battery compartment and replace the batteries. Also, check the breaker and see if it tripped or find out if there’s a blown fuse. Reset the breaker as necessary.

If the thermostat still fails to respond, make sure the breaker is turned off and remove the covering. If it looks too dirty inside, clean it off with a soft brush or canned air and eliminate any dust buildup or grime that may be affecting its usefulness. It also helps to look for issues like wonky wiring or screws and tighten them up. If you discover any corrosion in the wiring, it may be best to replace the thermostat altogether.

Rebooting

Like computers and smartphones, simple rebooting can eliminate your thermostat’s problem. You can do this by turning your furnace or air conditioner off. Then, go to your breaker and turn off the power to your thermostat or HVAC system. If you haven’t labeled your breakers, test them now and label them correctly. Next, leave the breaker turned off for about 30 seconds to a minute then turn the power back on to your HVAC system. This should get your system back on. If it still not working properly, you should contact your trusted HVAC professional.

Thermostat Mode

Ensuring the thermostat is set to the proper mode may be a no-brainer, but sometimes, this simple step can be neglected and cause discomfort. If you want your HVAC system turned on, set it on “COOL” and if you need some warmth, set it to “HEAT.” Believe it or not, many people accidentally leave their thermostat on “OFF” while waiting for it to start up.

Positioning

The positioning of the thermostat can also affect its performance. If the thermostat is placed in a bad position, it will not accurately control your home’s temperature, so be sure to check its location. Avoid exposing it to direct sunlight, other heat sources, or cold drafts. Most of the time, relocating the thermostat easily fixes this problem.

Also, try checking if the thermostat is balanced. Using a level device, make sure your unit is perfectly secure. If it isn’t, then, your mercury switch won’t work accurately.

Short Cycling

When a furnace or air conditioner turns itself on and off too frequently, it can be due to a malfunctioning thermostat. The term “short cycle” is a period when your HVAC system is running, and the shorter this cycle, the harder the unit needs to work.

If you have recently installed a new thermostat, it’s important to place it in a location where you can get an accurate temperature reading. As mentioned earlier, keep the thermostat away from direct sunlight or heat sources.

Sometimes, a broken thermostat can cause your HVAC unit to short cycle too often. If you suspect the thermostat is no longer in good condition, consider buying a new one.

Ask Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning

If these troubleshooting steps don’t seem to work and you need further assistance, do not hesitate to call Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning. We’d love to help you restore your comfort in no time. We are your trusted Plymouth heating and air conditioning company.

March 18 2021

How a Faulty Thermostat Impacts Your Home Comfort

Paul Kwekkeboom Info Articles, Thermostats

Your thermostat may be a small device with a tiny screen, but it plays a big part in your overall comfort at home. This nifty device allows you and your family to deal with extreme weather and remain cozy. However, due to its straightforward task, it tends to be ignored and most homeowners only pay attention to their thermostat begins to act up. Most of the time, thermostats do their job virtually unnoticed — without requiring much interference on your part. However, when it stops working, your whole family is affected.

Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your reliable HVAC company in Roseville MN. We are adept at fine-tuning any HVAC system, including thermostats. In this blog, we will give you some helpful insights on how to manage a thermostat that is not working properly.

What is a Thermostat?

A thermostat is a device that controls the temperature in an HVAC system. It enables you to set a preferred temperature and works to keep your room at your desired level. When your furnace or air conditioner reaches your set temperature, the thermostat will turn the system off to prevent it from overheating.

How to Know When Your Thermostat is Not Working Properly

The HVAC System Won’t Start

One of the easiest indications of a faulty thermostat is the failure to turn on your HVAC system. Whether it’s your furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner, the system just wouldn’t start. When this happens, you may assume that the entire system is not working, but it could be the thermostat that’s causing the problem.

The first thing you need to do is determine the thermostat has power. If you have a regular thermostat, be sure to know where the batteries are located and replace them with fresh ones. If you have a wireless thermostat, it likely uses AA Lithium batteries instead of regular ones.

If your thermostat is attached directly to the wall, check for blown fuses and tripped circuit breakers. These issues prevent your thermostat from doing its job.

The HVAC System Won’t’ Stop

Sometimes, it’s the opposite that occurs: the unit refuses to stop. This isn’t a simple issue. When an HVAC system fails to shut down, there’s a possibility of electrical and wiring issues. If your furnace or AC and thermostat are both old, you could expect damaged electrical wires and similar problems. This situation requires professional attention. You shouldn’t work with electrical problems unless you have proper training and tools.

The Thermostat is Old and Inefficient

Older thermostats tend to show performance issues. Electronic or mechanical thermostats will stop working at some point, and replacing parts doesn’t always fix the problem. You would probably have to replace it when it shows signs of malfunction. Doing so will help you get rid of such unnecessary troubles.

The Thermostat Fails to Respond

Sometimes, you touch your thermostat screen, trying to change the settings, but it does not respond. Such a case is a clear indication of a faulty thermostat. It may seem like a huge problem, but sometimes, changing the batteries or cleaning the thermostat does the trick.

A buildup of dirt and grime can cause discrepancies between your temperature settings and the actual room temperature. This means that the thermostat needs cleaning. To clean the unit, gently dust off the inside of your thermostat. If your brush is too large and can’t fit within the plates, try sliding a soft paper back and forth to clean them.

If these steps don’t solve the problem, it may indicate an electrical problem. Same as above, it’s best to call a qualified technician.

The HVAC System Delivers Air Unevenly

Inconsistent heating or cooling may not be as serious as an HVAC system that does not work at all, but it still causes inconvenience to you and your family. If you notice a significant difference in the temperature between rooms, a faulty thermostat might be the culprit. When it fails to work properly, it randomly turns your HVAC system on and off, which results in hot and cold spots. This problem may require you to call a professional.

Call the Thermostat Experts

For more information on how to troubleshoot and repair your thermostat, call Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning. Our technicians are factory trained and can identify problem causes and apply appropriate solutions. We are your reliable New Brighton heating and air conditioning company.

January 14 2021

How a Smart Thermostat Can Help Lower Your Heating Costs

Paul Kwekkeboom Info Articles, Thermostats, Tips and Advice

During this time of year, heating can easily account for about half of your home’s energy costs. Therefore, it’s wise to look for ways to lower your heating bills while being able to effortlessly manage your heating system.

Energy-efficiency and automation are just two of the reasons why more and more homeowners are upgrading to smart thermostats, which are devices designed to help you be more efficient in using energy in instinctive, smart ways.

Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is a leading heating company in Plymouth MN. We make sure we are up to date with the latest trends in HVAC technology. We offer smart thermostats engineered by Lennox, one of the premier names in home comfort systems.

Analog Vs. Digital Thermostats

Aren’t all thermostats the same? The quick answer is no. Analog thermostats incorporate a bi-metal strip that is connected to the thermometer, which expands when the temperature goes up and constricts when the temperature goes down. The contacts are connected to a mercury bulb, which acts as the conductive material to complete the circuit. These thermostats are the most basic and the cheapest on the market. Unfortunately, they aren’t as accurate in terms of reading your home’s temperature.

On the other hand, smart thermostats do not use mercury or glass bubbles. Instead, they use a device that measures the temperature from the sensors, which is read and assessed by a computer chip. Following a series of algorithms, the temperature is then displayed as a number on the screen. They may be more expensive than analog units, but smart thermostats deliver accurate temperature readings.

These nifty devices connect to the internet and allow you to control your home’s indoor environment via a smartphone application. They learn algorithms to help you set the most efficient setups for your thermostat at the most suitable schedules. Smart thermostats use smart assistants such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home to manage your thermostat and heating schedules via voice control.

How Does a Smart Thermostat Work?

Similar to an ordinary thermostat, you have to manually make adjustments for the first few days. Then, the smart thermostat will acquire knowledge of your schedule and preferences and ensure the room is set to your comfort level when you arrive home. Most models have a way of knowing when you are home or away with the use of third-party collaborations or geofencing abilities.

How Does a Smart Thermostat Save You Money?

A smart thermostat can do more than just learn your schedules. In fact, it understands your behaviors and helps you set timetables that save the most energy. Certain models have the ability to log the frequency and nature of your interactions with the thermostat to pick up your preferences. Over time, these devices get a better idea of your positions, and they can give you suggestions for optimizing your schedule even more efficiently.

With a smart thermostat, it’s easy to tell your furnace or air conditioner to run less when you’re away, so you will be using less energy by making your home comfortable only when you are in it. You can set the thermostat to run right before family members are scheduled to start coming home. This way, you will always come to a comfy, energy-efficient abode.

One of the benefits of using a smart thermostat is its ability to cut your household energy usage and costs by offering energy reports, which tell you how much energy you’re using throughout the month. With this information made available to you, a smart thermostat helps you develop more sustainable habits and make adjustments to your typical temperature settings.

Ready to Go Digital? Call Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning

A smart thermostat is a wise investment in your family’s comfort and your home’s energy-efficiency. If you want more information about smart thermostats, give us a call. We’d love to give you factual information and help you make a prudent decision. We are your reliable Maple Grove heating and air conditioning company.

September 3 2020

How to Save on Energy Costs Using a Smart Thermostat

Paul Kwekkeboom Thermostats, Tips and Advice

Recent technological advancements enabled homeowners like you to lower their energy costs, thanks to LED lightbulbs and TVs, inverter refrigerators, air conditioners, and energy-efficient washing machines.

But if you want to reduce your expenses on utilities further, you might want to consider investing in a smart thermostat.

Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your trusted HVAC company in Coon Rapids MN. We offer an array of smart thermostats designed not only to make your HVAC system more efficient but also to help you save cash on your energy bills.

Understanding Smart Thermostats

A smart thermostat is a device that allows you to set the temperature in your home automatically. It takes away the need to turn the knob each time you want to make changes to your indoor comfort levels. This nifty device wirelessly controls the temperatures at different times of the day. With the use of a connected Wi-Fi enabled gadget such as a smartphone or a tablet, you can manage your thermostat even while you’re away.

A smart thermostat still has the energy-saving features of a regular programmable thermostat, but it takes the game to a whole new level of efficiency. It can learn your heating or cooling habits, determine when you’re away or sleeping, and it can even consider your local weather when controlling the temperature!

Boosting Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

There are several ways in which a smart thermostat can be beneficial to you and your family.

Lower Energy Costs

One of the more significant benefits is precise temperature settings that can significantly lower your energy costs as early as your first energy bill. However, keep in mind that before getting one, be sure to determine if your target thermostat is compatible with your existing HVAC systems. You don’t want to spend a couple of hundred dollars in a smart thermostat only to find out it doesn’t work with your AC or furnace!

The Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program estimates that a home that uses a smart thermostat can save up to $180 annually on heating and cooling costs.

Eco Mode

Specific thermostat models will switch to an eco mode when you’re away, allowing you to save energy automatically. This feature is made possible by sensors that detect when someone is at home or when everyone is out and there’s no movement in the house.

Depending on the model, geofencing may also be utilized to know when your phone is out of range of your home, telling your system to switch to an eco setting. When you’re away on vacation, you can turn the system off, and your smart thermostat will only turn it on when temperatures get too high or low, to help prevent emergencies like frozen water pipes.

Energy Use Reporting

Homeowners that do not use smart thermostats usually have to wait until their monthly electricity bills arrive to find out how much energy they consumed. Knowledge of the amount of energy consumed in a certain period can help you make adjustments to your heating or cooling settings to lower your costs. You can easily do this with a smart thermostat, which provides energy consumption reports. The device also tells you how your energy use has changed over time and how much energy bills you should expect. These reports usually come with tips on setting the temperatures properly to save on your energy usage.

Email Notifications

Specific smart thermostat models will notify you when there are changes to your home’s temperature when you’re away. This feature is helpful because too much drop or rise in your indoor temperature can do damage to your pipes or ducts. These notifications can give you enough time to send someone to your house and make the necessary repairs and avoid further damage.

Get a Smart Thermostat from Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning

If you are looking for a smart thermostat that works with your existing HVAC system, give us a call. We have the entire selection of Lennox smart thermostats, which are some of the most efficient on the market. We’d love to help you establish an energy-efficient home, and upgrading to a smart thermostat is a step toward that goal. We are your total Andover heating and air conditioning company.

(763)-536-0667

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