How to Install a Home Thermostat
Most any home you purchase today will already have a thermostat installed, so if you're looking to install a home thermostat it's likely you either want to replace a manual model with a digital model or put in a new thermostat unit because your old one no longer works. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Pencil or wire hanger
- New thermostat and mounting plate
- Mounting screws
- Digital camera (if needed)
- Level
Instructions
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1
Find your breaker box and turn off the circuits that power both your furnace and your air conditioner. That way you don't have to worry about electrocuting yourself.
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2
Pull your old thermostat unit about two inches off the wall, unscrewing it as needed. It is on a mounting plate and will either snap off or lift up and out. Be gentle as you pull it off so you don't damage the wires behind it.
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3
Unwrap the wires from the screws on the back of the thermostat unit, making sure they don't fall back into the hole in the wall. It can help to loosely tie them around a wire hanger or pencil. If your wires are not color coded, take a photo of which terminal of the thermostat each one goes to. Then take the mounting plate down.
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4
Place the plate that came with your new thermostat flush against the wall in roughly the same place where the old thermostat was. Pull the wires through the holes in the back of it. Then screw it onto the wall. Check it with the level to insure it's straight before you tighten the screws all the way. Adjust it if needed.
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5
Connect the wires to the new thermostat as follows. The green wire goes to the G terminal, which operates the fan or blower on the furnace. The white wire goes to the W terminal, which gives direction to the heater. The Y terminal gets the yellow wire, which connects to the air conditioner. If your wires aren't color coded, use your photo as a guide instead. Don't cross the wires or install them wrong or it could get very uncomfortable in your house.
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6
Push the thermostat back against the wall and slip it into the mounting plate. Turn the circuits back on and check to make sure the thermostat works correctly. If not, one of your connections might be too loose.
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Tips & Warnings
There may be more than three wires behind your thermostat. Don't try to connect the extra ones. The contractor who originally installed your system may have put them in place for items that are no longer operable.
