To use a sports analogy, the HVAC thermostat is the quarterback, the point guard, and the pitcher — all rolled into one — of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning team responsible for keeping your home comfortable. When the temperature in your home is just right and the energy bills are manageable, the thermostat is your favorite player.
On the flip side, when the HVAC unit isn’t working efficiently as a good team should, who most often gets the blame? The thermostat. Before you trade in your thermostat for a new model, learn a few tips on thermostat communication with HVAC systems to help you make the right trade.
Thermostat Communication
Of the types of HVAC thermostats available today — electromechanical, digital, digital programmable, AI “smart,” multizone, and Wi-Fi-enabled — they all fall into one of two categories regarding thermostat communication:
- Communicating thermostats. These thermostats are most commonly referred to as “smart” thermostats, which are typically Wi-Fi-enabled and remotely accessible using a smartphone app. In short, smart thermostats are designed to connect multiple HVAC units (e.g., heat pump, furnace, zoning system, and whole-home dehumidifier) for optimal energy efficiency and comfort.
- Noncommunicating thermostats. All thermostats communicate with their paired HVAC unit. The term noncommunicating simply means that these types of thermostats (e.g., mechanical, digital, and manually programmable) are not designed to control multiple HVAC units and HVAC add-on devices seamlessly together.
HVAC Communication
HVAC systems are also categorized into communicating and noncommunicating in the same regard as thermostats. Smart HVAC systems are able to communicate between all included units and add-ons via a smart thermostat. In this way, for example, a variable-speed HVAC system may maximize comfort and energy efficiency by controlling heating, cooling, humidity, and air quality via your smartphone app.
Noncommunicating HVAC units are your conventional systems. They may be controlled using practically any thermostat, but they don’t offer the same advanced environmental controls and energy efficiency as the latest smart HVAC systems.
Considering the many variables of modern HVAC systems and thermostat communication, the most important communication is between you and your HVAC contractor. Start the conversation right by contacting Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area