By Anne Fonda
At its simplest, a thermostat is a control device that regulates the temperature. In your home, it controls your home’s heating and cooling system, signaling when to begin heating or cooling your home based on the desired temperature. It’s usually located on an interior wall near the center of the home.
A home thermostat controls your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. More advanced units can do much more. All thermostats use sensors to read the temperature in the surrounding area.
They then calculate if there is a difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature in the home. If there is, the unit sends a signal to the heating or cooling unit to get to work.
In a single-stage system, once the set temperature is reached, the system shuts off. In a variable-speed system, once the temperature is close to being reached, the system goes to lower speeds but continues to run, fine-tuning a comfortable temperature using the minimum amount of energy.
HVAC zoning systems may have more than one thermostat and a centralized system control panel to provide precise temperature control and reduce energy usage.
Like many things, thermostat technology has come a long way in recent years. There are three main types.
Non-programmable units are the very basic thermostats. The old-style round dial analog unit is still in use in some homes and apartments with heating systems but without central air conditioning. Newer thermostats have digital displays and buttons to raise or lower the temperature.
You must change the temperature manually at the wall unit – so if the temperature drops overnight and you wake up cold, you would need to either get a blanket or go physically raise the desired temperature. You also cannot program a temperature schedule.
A programmable thermostat is a digital heating and cooling control unit that allows you to program a temperature schedule. This can include raising or lowering the temperature while you’re away, as well as setting different temperatures for your wake time and when you go to bed.
Saving energy means saving money on your energy bills. With a programmable unit, you can set it and forget it, rather than trying to remember to adjust the temperature on a non-programmable unit.
Smart thermostats are programmable units that connect to the internet, allowing you to control them with a smartphone app, a tablet, a smart speaker, or another internet-connected device. Also known as a Wi-Fi thermostat, a smart thermostat can save you money on your energy bills as well as increase your comfort.
It also offers convenience. If you left for vacation and didn’t adjust the temperature for an empty home, you can do it from your phone rather than turn around and head back home or resign yourself to a higher energy bill than necessary.
Some, but not all, smart thermostats also feature:
Consult with an HVAC professional before purchasing a temperature control system to make sure that it is compatible with your system.
Trane thermostats are built to help you maximize energy efficiency and energy savings. We highly recommend our smart thermostats because of all of the added features they have. They also last a long time and have longer warranties (up to 10 years) than you’ll find with mass-market units. Our zoning systems only work with Trane system controls.
However, we do have smart thermostats that are compatible with other brands of HVAC systems, giving you some benefits that only your Trane dealer can provide. These are benefits you can’t get from a unit that you purchased online or at a big box store.
We’re talking about Trane Diagnostics. Using the Trane Home App, you opt into this remote monitoring system. Your dealer then monitors your HVAC system for signs of trouble, and they can act quickly to solve any issue.
If you give them one-time remote access, they can troubleshoot your system and sometimes fix the problem remotely. Otherwise, they will schedule an on-site visit and the technician will arrive with the knowledge gleaned from the remote troubleshooting.
If you’re not sure you need all the features of a smart thermostat, read our blog on Trane’s best thermostats to learn about the features of some of our other offerings.
Is it time to replace your thermostat? We can help.
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Michael Morey, Smart Thermostat Product Manager
Learn what a smart thermostat is, what it can do, and why Trane smart thermostats are several steps above ordinary Wi-Fi thermostats.
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