How low do currently sold home thermostats go? What's the lowest temp you can set them for?
How low would you set your thermostat in the winter if you were going to be away for a week and were not draining the pipes?
I live in Baltimore and I would set mine for about 45, but maybe people have reasons not to do that. ??
Not sure what the lowest was but I set it for 50 if we went away in winter. Had no pipes in outside walls.
No, none are in outside walls.
I need another thermostat and it's interesting that the ads and even the manuals don't say how low they go.
I think my original round Honeywell, the model that was very common, went very low, but it's on a shelf somewhere and I haven't checked.
micky formulated the question :
Mine has a 'safety feature I suppose many digital ones have. If the temp drops below 40F IIRC it turns on the furnace no matter the setting.
That would be great**. I'll read the manual again, looking for different words.
The AC installer will probably want to use the thermostat he usually uses. I hate the idea of arguing with him, and even though I can win, he'll say, We can't warrant system performance with a different thermostat.
**If I go away for longer, I can still drain the pipes and turn off the power to the furnace and the water heater (it's in the basement and will never freeze. It's mostly the second and first floor that get cold, and I put RV antifreeze in all the traps. ) .
Then I'd say, let me show you to the door.
My T-87 (mercury) thermostat is calibrated down to 40f. It actually goes past that but you are just guessing at that point. I also might question how accurate it is at 40 since it is optimized for 70-80. I think my FIL's White Rogers digital stopped at 53f. He chucked it and put in a T-87 like mine.
Usually in northern climates the wet walls are all interior. In my old house, the only pipes on an outside wall was going to the outdoor hose bibs. OTOH here in south Florida the pipes may run outside. It doesn't freeze here often enough to worry about.
Thermostats are a little cherry on top of the deal. They usually mark them up 150% or more but occasionally they will quote that retail price and throw it in free if they are making enough on the system and they want the deal.
on 5/20/2020, micky supposed :
Look for default safety temp setting or feature.
I will loook for that. Thanks, and thanks everyone.
I've seen lots of homes here, NYC area, with pipes in outside walls, including the one I'm living in now. To force them into interior walls would result in restrictions that interfere with good design and what people want. Like not having a window over the kitchen sink.
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