# Thermostat degree settings



## house92 (Oct 7, 2009)

I have a digital thermostat that keeps the temperature on the exact degree on which it is set.  If, for example, it is set on 70, it operates often enough that the temperature stays a constant 70.  I have friends who say their thermostat varies a couple of degrees.  In the heating season, for example, they set it on 70 and it drops to 68 before kicking back on to reach 70 again.  Is that more efficient than the way my thermostat operates and is there a way of programing one to do that?  Thanks.


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## Cork-Guy (Oct 7, 2009)

What model and make is your thermostat? I don't think it's so much an efficient process, it's most likely a mercury unit.


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## woodchuck (Oct 7, 2009)

Mine varies 3  degrees. With heat Set on 70 it cuts on at 69 and off at 71. But with the digital and all it's actually 69.9 and 71.1 Which is 1.2 degrees. I don't know why anyone would want one that wouldn't keep the temp what you set it for. We have the technology now. With the old type you couldn't do it like that if you wanted to.


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## travelover (Oct 7, 2009)

My huge old furnace would allow the house to range from 67 to 72 at a setting of 68 degrees. The new high efficiency furnace keeps it at a solid 68 all the time. The new furnace runs more often, but with a smaller (two stage) burner.

So I think it is a function of the furnace sizing relative to the house heat loss rate.


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## daddymikey1975 (Oct 11, 2009)

in a previous house, we had a heat pump installed and the thermostat they put in was a honeywell (i believe). the honeywell would cycle the furnace, AC, or heat pump enough to maintain a constant 70 degrees if that's where it was set.  i'm in a house now that has a digital thermostat (hunter brand i think) that, when set to 70, will kick on the heat at 69 and shut it down at 71. it's annoying as hell cuz the house fluctuates in temp so drastically.

I believe the question still stands as to which 'type' of temperature maintaining is the more efficient (or least costly to operate)..

the thermostat that maintains the temp or the one that operates at -1` until +1` ??

thanks for the input.


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