Single-stage or multi-stage heat pumps providing heating and cooling.
A low voltage thermostat or control system is commonly used to connect with: The wires to low-voltage thermostats or control systems are typically very thin, similar to wiring for doorbells or telephone jacks. The most common types of thermostat or control systems on the market today use low voltage wiring.
If your home’s current set up doesn’t include a dedicated C-wire, you may need the assistance of a licensed professional HVAC technician to add the specific wiring for advanced thermostats or control systems. The common wire supplies constant power to your connected thermostat. Many advanced smart thermostats and control systems have features, including home automation options, which require it to be powered at all times by a ‘common’ wire (C-wire). While you should always hire a licensed professional to work with any wiring in your home, learning the general concept of thermostat wires and voltage can help you understand the guidance from your local, expert contractor. Of course, if you’re not sure which type of system is installed in your home, it’s best to ask a technician to help.
Traditionally, if you have a variable-speed or multi-stage system, or a system that’s zoned for different areas of your home, your licensed professional HVAC technician may have to install an advanced thermostat that matches these types of systems. A dual fuel system, which is comprised of a gas furnace and a heat pump, should be connected to a thermostat or control system that can accommodate the specific heating set points.
A two-stage or variable speed system may only be operating at a single speed because the thermostat or control system doesn’t allow for two-stage wiring.If it is specific to a gas furnace, you may not be able to control this function. If your home has a heat pump, the thermostat or control system should be able to control the auxiliary heat function.To be sure your thermostat or control system can control all of the designed features of your equipment, it has to accommodate the specific operational modes of your HVAC system. Heating and cooling equipment comes in many forms (ex: heat pump, gas furnace, air conditioner, air handler, etc.) with a variety of features. It often comes down to what type of system was installed, and the wiring (or lack of wiring) between that equipment and the thermostat or control system. Depending on the HVAC system in your home, it’s possible that only a specific style of thermostat or control system may control the system’s functions. It may not have been designed to directly communicate with the various types of control technology on the market today.
Your current heating and cooling system likely was designed to perform a single function - to heat or cool your home. However, will this new, smart home technology connect with your current heating and cooling system?
Today’s thermostats or control systems can offer a wide range of features and connectivity with a smart phone, making it even easier to align your lifestyle with the comfort in your home. As a result, the simple thermostat, which has been a basic staple in our homes for decades, has significantly evolved. This technological revolution is also extending to the way we control indoor comfort. We live in an age where smart phones connect us to nearly every aspect of our lives - and it seems that there is no end in sight.