Programmable Thermostats

It's been far too long since I blogged, but man, things have been BUSY! There was so much work to do to get ready for the new HVAC systems, we've been meeting ourselves coming and going. Let's see -- where to start?

There is a lot of information to share about the whole geothermal installation, so I'll save some of that until my next post. After all, it isn't every day you have a drilling rig sitting in the front yard. The bottom line, though, is that WE HAVE AIR CONDITIONING! Granted, it does deflate the drama a bit since the weather is now comfortable enough that the system doesn't even need to come on to keep the house comfortable. But knowing that winter is coming and that we won't have national-debt-sized gas bills is a good feeling.

It's funny how true the saying is that "what goes around comes around". I say that because since the mid-1920's our old house has had a programmable thermostat for the boiler/radiator system. No kidding. Here is a picture of the one we used up until this Spring. This baby is a Minneapolis-Honeywell Model 77 Automatic Thermostat, manufactured somewhere between 1924 and 1928. "Programmable?", you say? Yes indeedy.

The 8-day wind-up clock at the bottom detaches so it can be wound once a week. That is the winding key there on the right side, hanging from an elegantly fashioned paper clip. On the back of the clock are two little arms that can be set to the morning time when you want the temperature to go up, as well as the evening time when you want the temperature to go down. There are also a couple of set screws that allow you to adjust the level to which you want the temperature to rise or fall. As the clock runs, when the designated time comes, the little arms trip a lever that activates the gear which moves the thermostat setting either up or down. Pretty darn clever. 

Even though we won't be using this thermostat any longer to actually set the system, we are going to leave it on the wall in the entry. It is just too cool not to keep. In fact, one of the HVAC installers asked if he could buy it from me. I'm not interested in selling it, but I actually have an extra one that I found in a box when we moved into the house. Maybe I'll sell it and maybe I won't. I'm really BAD about hanging on to neat old stuff. Just ask my wife.

As much as I love the old thermostat, I'm thrilled to have the new ones, too. They are just a little bit more advanced and flexible when it comes to the programming. I say "they" because we have two of them -- one for upstairs and one for the main level and basement. Our last two houses were 2-story construction with only one HVAC system, which generally meant that the upstairs was way too warm in the summer. We learned our lesson, so when we decided to have a modern HVAC system installed we knew we wanted two separate systems with their own thermostats. Staying comfortable on either level should be a whole lot easier now.

I'll have photos and lots to share about the geothermal system and installation process next time. I'm off to bed for now....