Pro Handyman Blog

If you are considering replacing your thermostat, you will have a choice between a digital or manual thermostat. There are a few differences to be aware of although the purpose of each is to regulate the temperature of the space.

A manual thermostat is the basic builder-grade thermostat. It will do a fine job of keeping the temperature at a pre-set level. In order the change the temperature, you must manually rotate the dial to whatever temperature you choose. If you won’t be changing the temperature much, you can get away with this style of thermostat.

A digital thermostat costs only a few dollars more and allows you to program temperature changes. This is an important distinction because it allows you to make changes to the temperature to save energy and money. For example, if during the summer you are away from home for the day, you can program the thermostat to raise the temperature by a few degrees, which keeps the air conditioner from running as often. You can program it to return to your normal level of comfort when you return home from work. You can program these so that every day has the same or different temperature settings. Additionally, digital programmable thermostats have a battery backup, whereas a manual thermostat does not need one.