Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best thermostat you can buy, and NOT hard to install, January 24, 2006
First, if you know anything about installing thermostats, it's no harder than any other. In other words, there are 4-7 colored wires, and you have to put them in the right place. That's it.
Now, for the thermostat, it is just beyond good. From the easy programming to the flexibility of the options, to the FULL AUTO mode so you never have to worry about switching from heat to cool again, it's a set and forget job. And the options for temp and holiday hold, the circulation feature that keeps your whole house more constant, etc. Great.
Remember, this is a single stage model, but there are slightly more expensive versions for multi-stage setups, so choose the right one. Most people will be fine with the 8110. Even if you live in an apartment or a rental, buy this, install it, save money, be more comfortable, then put the old one back before you move out. it's worth it.
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40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easily installed solid product and a good value, April 11, 2006
The Verdict
I replaced my old mercury filled round thermostat(you know the type) about six months ago. I've found this product to be both a solid, easy to install product and a good value. For those reasons I'd recommend it for anyone who's considering a thermostat in this price range.
Installation
This thermostat was straightforward to install. It included diagrams for several types of furnaces on which it might be installed, and I'm guessing it's fairly comprehensive, since it worked without issues on what looks like the no-name furnace in my garage. The wires just pop right into the circuit board on the back, and the unit mounts easily on the wall.
Operation
The touch screen is also easy to operate. It's intuitive and simple, somewhat of an accomplishment for a device with so many capabilities. With all the features it has, you can spend a lot of time programming it, so the other nice-to-have feature with this unit is that it can be removed from the wall without tools and programmed anywhere you'd like to take it. This way, you can sit in a comfortable chair instead of standing in the hallway.
Value
When I was shopping around, I also found this to be an excellent price for similar thermostats. You should find the same thing when you start looking around.
Additional Considerations
If you have the same type of thermostat I used to have and think this is too expensive for your home, then consider the benefits I experienced. Some of them might change your mind about how worthwhile this expense could be:
Increased comfort for about the same amount of money
My old thermostat came without even a switch to leave the fan running on the furnace to constantly circulate air. With this thermostat, I'm able to hold the temperature constant throughout the house and keep it stable over time by running the fan all the time. This results in a higher electric bill for me, because I'm using the fan more, but it also lowers my gas bill because the furnace is heating air less. The net result is that it costs me about the same amount of money to live in a significantly more comfortable house.
One less toxic chemical in your house
Did you know those old thermostats still have mercury switches? When I took the cover off my thermostat, I saw the little glass bubble full of mercury swishing around inside. I'm a reasonable person, and I'm reasonably sure that the mercury is perfectly safe so long as that glass bubble remains airtight. Now that I have kids, though, I can't always prevent them from running down the hall with a mop or something and getting highly toxic heavy metals all over my floor. There just isn't a good excuse for people to be keeping bubbles of mercury sitting around in their houses anymore. If I really, really want to have mercury in my house, the FDA says I can just buy some deep water fish like tuna or swordfish.
Additional savings from programmability
One of the other reasons I'm probably able to do well on my energy bill is that this thermostat, unlike my old one, is very programmable. It allows me to select four different periods for each day, and to set the temperature for each period. I can set the temperature down in sweater territory when nobody's home, and have the home comfortable again by the time I return, but still leave things toasty all day on the weekends when I'm typically home with my family.
Furnace filter change reminder
Maybe you're not like me. Maybe you always remember to dutifully change your furnace filter on an exact regular schedule, and this filter change is just so critical to your happiness in life that you look forward to filter changing day. You may even have a special reminder on your computer, or mark it on the calendar you make a special point of reading every single day.
I'm just not like that. I forget that my filter gets dirty, which lowers air flow and makes the fan work harder, which in turn raises my electric bill. That's not a problem for me anymore with this thermostat. It has a reminder feature that counts down a few preset numbers of days, then flashes a message on its screen when it's time for you to change the filter.
For me, that's more convenient because I'm typically at the computer in my office when my mail client reminds me of things like this. By the time I get home after a long day at the office, that little reminder to change my filter typically gets lost in the hectic haze of everyday life. With the reminder on the thermostat, though, I can stare, bleary eyed at the display for a few minutes. When it hits me that the screen is telling me to change the filter, I can trudge out to the garage and get it done with minimal mental effort. It's a good match between what I've got to give at the end of the day, and what I need to give.
(I hope)increased resale value
I think these thermostats look great, and I think most people would agree with me. I also think potential home buyers will include "most people" by the time I'm ready to sell, and that this thermostat's modern but reserved design will still be attractive when that time comes.
It really does add something to the feel of a house when the homeowner upgrades smaller details like the thermostat. Things like that tell a buyer you've done more than just touch up a few cosmetic issues before selling - it says that you've really been caring for a house that's overall in better condition than a similar house without those touches.
When it comes time for me to move, I'm expecting to get the price of this thermostat back, so it's more of an investment than an expense. Of course, chances are I'll be investing the same money into a new thermostat for my next house, since I just can't live without it now.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I've only experienced one problem with it since I installed it, but I actually suspect that the furnace is to blame. Sadly, since I can't easily tell for sure, I have to play it safe and only award the product four stars. The display has occasionally gone dark on me even though I set it up to be constantly backlit. Considering all the advantages I listed above, though, I have no regrets about my purchasing decision. If anyone else can tell you that the problem I experienced was definitely due to the furnace, then consider this a five-star review for an excellent product.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Thermostat, September 9, 2006
Easy set up, just make sure you read all of the installation instructions. Some of the features the thermostat has are not active out of the box and require you to turn them on. The thermostat it self is very easy to use and program. I now have more control than I ever did and am able to keep the house at a comfortable level all the time. It is nice to never have to mess with the thermostat and the Auto Changeover feature is great! It heats the house in the morning and cools it during the day. One other feature I found handy is a circulation feature on the fan. It will run the fan 35% of the time to keep the air in the house moving. If you are thinking about purchasing a new thermostat get this one, you will be happy.
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