The short answer is yes. When installing a heating or air conditioning system in your home in Reserve, LA one of the most vital procedures to consider is the position of the thermostat. Whether you are upgrading to a new system in an older home, or building your home and installing the system as a part of the construction process, placing your thermostat in the correct place could save you thousands of dollars in energy costs over the lifetime of your residency in your home.
Proper temperature reading: Placing your thermostat in the right part of your home will ensure that it is getting a proper reading. An incorrect reading will cause your system to work inefficiently either heating or cooling to the specifications of an area that is not centralized to your entire home. This can cause uneven heating and cooling where some rooms may seem very hot and others, very cold. If you want your system to do the best possible job of creating a comfortable living environment for you and your family then placing a thermostat in the right place is vital.
Reading center of home: The thermostat should be reading the temperature in the center of your home. Rooms on specific sides of the house tend to have vast temperature variances. Sunlight during certain parts of the day can make specific ends of the house more or less warm. Shade from trees can keep one end of the home cooler than the other. Placing the thermostat centrally within your home will prevent it from getting an inaccurate reading. This can be further complicated if you have multiple levels in your home. As we all know, heat rises and you’ll often get into a situation where the upstairs will be much warmer than the lower levels, forcing you to lower the thermostat even more to cool the upper levels which is inefficient and will ultimately raise your energy bill. In cases like this, you might want to also look into a A/C zoning system.
Away from sunlight: Direct sunlight can cause an inaccurate reading on your thermostat. It’s no secret that sunlight warms the area it shines on and if your thermostat happens to be in the direct line of light, it’s going to feel that heat. Because your thermostat is only measuring the temperature on one precise part of the home, if the sun is heating up the wall that it is placed on it will inevitably get a much higher reading which will cause your air conditioner or heater to work according to a temperature that is not accurate for the entire building.
Away from internal heat sources: Just as sunlight can warm up the area of the home that the thermostat is measuring, so can internal heat sources. These heat sources can be everything from a fireplace to an oven or clothes dryer. When placing your thermostat keep in mind what will be around the thermostat. You want it at least 6 feet away from any major heat source. Even appliances like refrigerators and computer modems put off enough heat to alter the reading of a thermostat. Hallway walls tend to be the best places, as they usually have no major heat sources near by.
Away from drafts: Drafts are the last thing to consider when placing a thermostat. Air coming in from windows or doors can significantly affect your thermostat’s accuracy. A thermostat’s ideal place is located on a wall that is not directly connected to the outside of the home. It should also be a minimum of 5 feet away from any doors where air flow coming in and out will make the temperature vary greatly.
Whether you are installing a new heating and air conditioning in your home in Reserve, LA or simply updating an older one, keep the importance of thermostat placement in mind. By placing it in an area where it can adequately read the correct general temperature of your home without any outside temperature sources affecting it, you can rest assured that you will keep your home at a temperature you feel most comfortable while also running your system in the most energy-efficient manner.