If your weekday schedule varies from your weekend schedule, getting a 5-1-1 thermostat (the 5-1-1 means you can set a weekday schedule and a Saturday/Sunday schedule, independently) can help you save money. Maybe you've always wanted to install a programmable thermostat, but have been a little intimidated by the thought of any DIY project that involves wires. Here's how to tackle the installation.
Disclaimer: The following instructions are for inspirational purposes only, and are not meant to substitute manufacturer instructions that come with your particular model.
Step 1
Turn off all power at main electrical panel. Some instructions advise to simply turn off power to the room you are working in, others suggest throwing the main switch. To lean towards safety, turn everything you can find on the electrical panel to the “Off” position.
Step 2
Remove cover and control panel from old thermostat. The cover and control board on most models snap off. Look for a recessed lip around the sides or bottom of the original thermostat where you can grab and remove the faceplate and control board. Take care setting this aside as you may have to reinstall if something goes wrong further in the installation.
Step 3
Label wires according to their current position, and remove them one by one. Most new models of programmable thermostats come with sticker labels that you can use to wrap around the wires coming from the wall. If your package doesn’t contain pre-printed labels you can substitute with masking tape and a permanent marker.
Step 4
Remove old thermostat plate from the wall. Be sure not to let the mess of wires drop back into the wall when unscrewing the old plate. Some instructions recommend taping a group of wires to the wall, but if the wires are so stiff that simply spreading them out a bit adequately prevents them from dropping back into the hole in the drywall, this shouldn't be necessary.
Step 5
Attach new thermostat plate to the wall. Most of the time a new model’s plate will not match up to the existing holes from the old thermostat. If so, simply drill a couple holes for the new thermostat, and insert the drywall anchors that came in the new packaging (don’t worry, the instructions should account for this by indicating the drill bit size to use, etc.). Go ahead and insert batteries if your model requires them. The model used in this example required two AA batteries (installed just above the wire connections) to hold the programming settings in the event of a power outage.
Step 6
Reattach the wires according to their label and the corresponding spot on the new thermostat. This may very well be the most difficult part of the entire project because there isn’t much room to work with, and depending on your heating/air conditioning system you could have several wires to attach.
Step 7
Attach control panel and face plate for new thermostat. Make a handwritten note of the wires you attached (C, G, Y, R, etc.) before covering with the new control panel and face plate. You’ll need to know this to properly program your new thermostat based on the type of system you have.
Step 8
Turn power back on and program new thermostat according to manufacturer instructions. In the summer time, you might choose to let the temp get a little higher at night and sleep with ceiling fans running. Before you wake up, program the thermostat to cool things down for getting ready for work and school, and then return to a higher temperature for the day. In the winter, reverse this process by letting things cool down after you are tucked away in bed, and warm things up during the early morning hours.
