Did you know that a thermostat should not be placed just anywhere in the house? That’s right! There are specific places that are ideal for placing your thermostat.
But how do you identify these places? Not to worry, here’s how to do it.
Firstly, as the thermostat controls how your HVAC system works, you should place it at locations where it can accurately read the home’s temperatures. This way, it can accurately guide the HVAC system on the actions to take.
For instance, when temperatures get below or above the set thermometer readings, the system can either heat or cool the house. Here is what you should know when choosing the location of thermostats in a home:
Why the Location of Thermostats Placement Matters in the Long Run
Identifying the best location for a thermostat is crucial — this is because it affects the comfort of your house. So, to start with, let’s look at areas you should avoid when installing your thermostat.
- Doors and Windows
In most cases, doors and windows are the main sources of drafts. And as a result, if you place a thermostat near them, you’ll most likely get the wrong readings.
A thermostat needs to be in a place where it can read accurate temperatures to avoid giving the HVAC unit the wrong instructions. For instance, if it measures the temperatures of an incoming draft, it might instruct the system to heat the room, despite the room temperatures already being high.
Also, when the doors or windows are opened, the thermostat might cause the unit to stop cooling the house as it detects cooler air from the incoming air. All this will lead to the unit’s inefficiency and frustration for the homeowner.
Lastly, if the sun hits the thermostat directly from the windows, you can be sure of hefty energy bills, as the AC keeps running continuously.
- Kitchen
Temperatures in the kitchen are generally warmer than in the rest of the house, especially when there is some cooking going on. In this case, placing your thermostat here will certainly give the device the wrong average reading of your home’s temperature.
If you want to get accurate readings and comfortable temperatures in your house, the kitchen is then not the ideal place for the thermostat. And, you will avoid too high energy bills by not placing that thermostat in the kitchen.
- Exterior Walls
Just like with the windows and doors, avoid placing your thermostat on the exterior walls of your house. Why? These walls are affected by the radiant heat or cold of the external environment.
For example, during summer, when the outdoor heat is so intense, the external walls heat up by absorbing this heat. Consequently, if the thermostat is placed on such a wall, the temperatures around it will be higher.
With the higher temperatures, your AC will always be running even when there is no need to cool the room. Now, this will lead to high electricity bills.
- Hallways
Some people will find themselves placing the thermostat on hallways, thinking it’s an ideal location. However, it is not!
Hallways and various less-used places in the house aren’t the best places to place your thermostat. The fact is, you rarely use the hallways. And the airflow here might also be different from the most-used areas in the house.
If you place a thermostat here, it might not offer the correct representation of the entire house’s temperature. And if this is so, temperatures in the areas you frequently use will be uncomfortable as they will be conditioned based on the hallways’ temperature.
For this reason, it’s advisable to place the thermostat in a room that you mostly use, like the living room.
- Near Supply Vents
The air in the supply vents has a different temperature than that of your indoors. This is because it is conditioned air from your HVAC system and can either be cooler or warmer than the interior temperatures.
As a result, placing your system near the supply vent will lead to wrong thermostat readings. Subsequently, there will be numerous temperature fluctuations that make the unit keep going on and off.
Such fluctuations in the operations of your HVAC system will bring about uncomfortable indoor conditions. Therefore, avoid this location at all costs.
Places to Consider
After understanding which areas to avoid, identifying the best place for thermostat placement is the next step. So, if you are looking for the best location for a home thermostat, here are a few ideal places.
- An Interior Wall
As placing the thermostat on exterior walls is not an option, an interior one seems like a good idea. And for sure it is.
When you fix the thermostat on an interior wall, it means that the device won’t be affected by the outside temperatures. As a result, it will read the correct indoor temperatures and give correct instructions to the system.
- Near the Center of Your House
Despite using an interior wall, you should look for a spot that’s near the center of your house. This way, the thermostat can read the average temperature of the entire house.
- Most-Used Room
The place in your house where you spend most of your time should be the best spot for placing the thermostat. And while some people would want to hide the thermostat for interior décor purposes, you should consider your room’s comfort first.
For instance, the living room and the bedroom are such rooms. Placing the thermostat here means that you’ll always enjoy the most comfortable conditions while in the house.
- Use Correct Height
Are you still wondering where to place a thermostat? Well, your thermostat should be placed 5 feet above the ground or so.
Why?
Generally, heat rises, and as such, higher heights are warmer than lower ones. That’s why most thermostats are placed on the ground floors instead of higher floors or the attics.
Placing the thermostat at the correct height ensures that it doesn’t read higher or lower temperatures than the actual ones.
Location of Thermostats in Your Home — Key Takeaway
The location of thermostats matters if you want to experience comfortable indoor temperatures. Therefore, place your thermostat away from drafts, direct sunlight, and exterior walls.
Place it in a spot with ample airflow and where it can detect the correct average indoor temperatures. And if you still can’t figure out the best position, call a professional HVAC technician to lend a hand.