Chronothermostat or room thermostat? Programmable or wifi? These are among the most frequent questions that arise when you are building or renovating a house or when there’s the need to replace an old thermostat.
The right thermostat for every system
First of all, we need to think about the type of system available. There are many differences between an heating system with radiators, an underfloor heating system (radiant), an heating system with fan coils or heat pump useful for both heating and cooling: the speed with which the system reacts, in fact, can influence the choice of the most suitable thermostat.
The right thermostat for different areas of the house
Before proceeding with the analysis of the different types of system, however, it is useful to make a consideration on the different “zones” of the home or office in which the environment is divided, and if these areas (of which we want to regulate the temperature) are already connected to the heat source, or if a “fruit” box is already set up to house the new thermostat at the right height (at least 150 cm from the ground). The examples that we will provide in this article will help the customer understand needs based on usage habits. It is not mandatory to install the same type of product in different areas! You can very well combine a room thermostat in the sleeping area or in a bathroom with a chronothermostat or a regulator for fan-coil in the living area, or vice versa!
Room thermostats for classic heating system with radiators
Classic heating systems are still widespread, although they are now being progressively replaced by more modern technologies with a lower environmental impact or reduced energy consumption. They are also the ones that allow you to choose between a more complete range of chronothermostats and thermostats, because they spread heat faster. The discriminant, in this case, is the customer’s habit.
The simplest solution, but which can adversely affect consumption, is to keep the temperature constant throughout the day, by installing a mechanical room thermostat with only one temperature level (TA3, TA5, TAE/503S built-in) or a digital solution, with 2 adjustable, comfort and reduced temperature levels (IMIT Orion or Silver S). You will need to remember to turn the device on and off when needed, and be patient to wait for the area to warm up.
If, on the other hand, you have constant daily habits during the week, and you need to automatically lower the temperature during the night or at certain times of the day, it is advisable to choose a daily chronothermostat, with mechanical switch (Chronomix-S) or digital (IMIT Orion or Silver S) programming. There is also an intermediate solution, i.e. a digital daily chronothermostat that allows the analog setting on switch, suitable for those who have difficulty with technology (Duo/503S built-in).
If, on the other hand, you need to program the whole week, perhaps because you work from Monday to Friday and you are at home on weekends, then it is better to opt for a weekly digital chronothermostat (IMIT Orion, Silver S and built-in CRD/503S): you program it at the beginning of the season and you almost forget that it exists! If you were to stay at home longer, i.e. for holidays, just switch to the manual function for the necessary days.
Furthermore, all the chronothermostats have an anti-freeze function: even without programming or during periods of prolonged absence, they activate the system in case of low temperatures, to prevent the intense cold of the winter months from ruining the pipes, limiting the consequent damage.
Room thermostats for underfloor heating system
The radiant panels of underfloor heating systems are certainly a solution that allows you to heat (or cool) the rooms in a uniform way, reducing consumption.
From this type of system, however, you cannot expect an hourly and flexible schedule such as that applicable to classic systems: the reaction times are slower, therefore it’s useless to “turn off” the system for a few hours in the morning and expect to return and find a warm home at lunchtime. With this type of system and habits it is possible to limit the choice to a digital room thermostat, with at least 2 adjustable, comfort and reduced temperature levels (IMIT Orion or Silver S), or to mechanical (Chronomix-S) or digital (IMIT Orion or Silver S) or semi-digital (Duo/503S built-in) daily chronothermostats for the sleeping area or all areas that have a certain constancy of use for prolonged hours during the week. In the living area or if you have a single area system, instead, it’s advisable to install a weekly digital chronothermostat (IMIT Orion, Silver S and built-in CRD/503S), especially if you spend more time at home on the weekend, or on fixed days of the week. However, we recommend setting time slots of 6 hours minimum duration during the day (e.g. day and night) for this type of system.
Radio, smart home and wi-fi thermostats
The IMIT Techno range of thermostats and chronothermostats is also available in the radio version. Read the benefits in our dedicated article. A separate reasoning, however, must be made for thermostats that are controlled via wi-fi: our range will be updated soon. We invite you to follow our LinkedIn page, so you can follow the next updates.
Which room thermostat to choose for systems that combine air conditioning and heating?
If, on the other hand, you have chosen to combine a heating system with an air conditioning system and you want to control them with the same device, consult our article dedicated to the topic!
To find out more, browse our site, download our catalog or consult a preview of the instruction manuals of our products for home and office comfort and understand the one that best suits you. For further requests, send an email to info@imit.it. Our staff will reply as soon as possible.