I have electric baseboard heat in one room with a thermostat on the wall but the thermostat appears to be 15 degrees F off! If I set it for 55, the room ends up 70. Is it reasonably likely that I can pull off the knob and move it so the little pointer points to the real temperature or is it likely I have to replace the thermostat? Or is there some other calibration procedure I can follow?
Typical pos bi-metal electric heat thermostats are inaccurate but consistent. Many don't even try to use temperature settings, but numbers like 1 to 10. Whatever temperature #6 gives you, it will consistently give you. Yes, you can bend the pointer or whatever, or just see if whatever temperature you set it at, it's consistent, then compensate for it
Typically these cost $15 to $20, and should take about 10 minutes to replace. Don't bother trying to mess around with it.
JK
The new electronic thermostats work great but are expensive.
Here is a great, and not to expensive digital programmable thermostat for electric heat. They're sold under the name Aube, or Honeywell, or Honeywell/Aube. If you shop around you can get them for under $50, which is what any good bi-metal will cost:
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