How to Install a Thermostat for Heat & Air Conditioning
Thermostats for heating and air conditioning your home come in many different varieties. There are programmable and non-programmable thermostats that are digital, and non programmable thermostats that are not digital. When it comes time to install a new thermostat in your home, you'll have to decide what type of thermostat will work in your situation. Programmable thermostats work great for people that come and go frequently. Non-programmable ones work good for people that are home a lot. Once you figure out what you need, it is easy to install a thermostat for your heating and air conditioning unit. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Thermostat
- Drywall anchors and screws
- Cordless drill
- Level
- Wire stripper
- Screwdriver
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Instructions
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1
Switch the power off to the heating and air conditioning unit by switching the corresponding breaker off in the circuit-breaker panel.
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2
Remove the old thermostat from the wall. The thermostat should come off of the wall plate by pulling gently. Disconnect the thermostat wires and remove the wall plate from the wall.
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3
Mount the wall plate of the thermostat to the wall. The wall plate mounts to the wall using drywall anchors and screws. Use your level to ensure it is level before proceeding.
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4
Pull the thermostat wire out of the wall through the hole on the wall plate and strip the wires so 1/4 inch of bare copper is visible on the ends.
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5
Open up your furnace access panel and look to see how the existing thermostat wire is connected to the control board. For a typical heating and air conditioning system, there will be four wires used. The red wire will be on the "R" terminal, the green wire on the "G" terminal, the yellow wire on the "Y" terminal, and the white wire on the "W" terminal. Make note of their orientation and then close the access panel back up.
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6
Connect the wires to the thermostat in the same fashion they were connected to the heating and air conditioning unit you noted in step 5.
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7
Connect the thermostat to the wall plate by pushing the thermostat on to the wall plate until it snaps into place.
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8
Turn the power back on to the unit. Set the thermostat to the desired settings. Refer to the unit's user instructions if necessary. The thermostat will now operate as needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the heating and air conditioning filter when installing the thermostat. Dirty filters will cause the heating and air conditioning system to run inefficiently.
