Have you ever come home to a freezing house in winter or a sweltering one in summer because you forgot to adjust your thermostat before leaving? A smart thermostat can solve these problems and more by allowing you to control temperatures remotely and set schedules that automatically adjust to your routine. With some basic DIY skills and this handy guide, installing your own smart thermostat is simple. Let’s get started!
Installing a smart thermostat is an approachable DIY project that can make home temperature control much easier while also saving energy and money on bills. This straightforward guide will walk through all the necessary steps from picking the right model to the final configuration. With a bit of time and effort, you can unleash the convenience of smart home automation.
Smart thermostats are becoming increasingly popular and with good reason. These innovative devices connect to the internet to give you remote control over home temperatures via smartphone apps and other smart devices. This lets you adjust heating and cooling from anywhere to avoid coming home to extreme temperatures.
Smart thermostats also analyze usage patterns over time. They leverage this data to improve efficiency by automatically adjusting to your habits. Many models even incorporate machine learning to continually optimize settings. This can reduce energy consumption by ensuring heating and cooling only run when truly needed.
Over months and years of use, the energy savings of a properly utilized smart thermostat can really add up. Thisboth cuts down on bills and is beneficial for the environment. On top of convenience and potential cost savings, many smart thermostats feature stylish designs that look great mounted on your wall. With all these perks, it’s easy to see the appeal.
But major brand smart thermostats can be very expensive, often $200 or more just for the unit itself. And if you hire an HVAC company to install it, that involves fees for labor and travel. Fortunately, putting in a smart thermostat on your own is totally doable for most homeowners. As long as you’re comfortable working around basic electrical wiring and following instructions, the process is actually pretty straightforward. This guide will walk you through the full installation from start to finish.
What You’ll Need
Before getting started, make sure you have all the necessary materials on hand:
- Smart thermostat of your choice
- Screwdriver(s)
- Wire stripper
- Voltmeter (optional)
- Masking tape
- Drywall anchors (if needed)
- WiFi connection details
- Patience and some time
Once you have everything ready, turn off power to your HVAC system at the breaker box to ensure safety while working on existing wiring and mounting the new unit. And with that, you’re ready to begin installation! The process can be broken down into three main phases: preparation, physical installation, and final configuration/testing.
Pre-Installation Preparation
Properly preparing for installation is crucial. Rushing into physical work without the right planning is a recipe for frustration. Follow these pre-installation steps first:
Gather Tools and Materials
Gather all the tools and materials you’ll need beforehand so they’re ready to go. This includes:
- Smart thermostat – Obviously one of the key ingredients! Do ample research to choose a model with features you like within budget. Opt for one specifically labeled as DIY/homeowner installable.
- Screwdrivers – Both a Philips and flathead screwdriver of various sizes to handle different screw types.
- Wire stripper – To strip away insulation coating and expose the ends of wiring for connections.
- Voltmeter (optional) – Helps identify unmarked wires. A continuity or tone tracer works too.
- Masking tape – To temporarily label wires for easy tracking.
- Drywall anchors – For mounting the new thermostat’s backplate firmly on the wall if needed.
- WiFi connection details – SSID and password info to connect the device during configuration.
Gathering everything upfront ensures no annoying mid-project snags from missing items!
Turn Off Power
Once you have all your supplies, go to your home’s breaker box and shut off the power to the HVAC system. This is an absolutely vital safety step any time you work on existing electrical wiring.
Locate the correct breaker and flip the switch to cut power. Then open up the existing thermostat and switch it into the “off” position as an extra precaution. Stay safe!
Remove Old Thermostat
With the power safely cut off, start by removing your old thermostat. Carefully take note of how all the wires are currently connected before disturbing anything further.
If the wires are unlabeled, use masking tape to mark each wire with a simple code (A, B, C etc) for easy tracking. You’ll need to replicate these wire connections on the new thermostat. Leaving wires loose for too long also exposes wire ends, so don’t detached everything at once.
If your old unit doesn’t separate from the backplate for a clean removal, simply unscrew it from the wall and set it aside for now. Try wiggling wires free from pins rather than cutting initially.
Installation Process
Now comes the fun part: safely installing your slick new smart thermostat! The hands-on process divides into a few key phases: preparing the site, connecting wires securely, mounting the new unit, and tidying everything up.
Prep the Wall and Wires
If your old thermostat left a huge unsightly gash around the wiring hole, now’s the time for damage control. This purely aesthetic step isn’t mandatory, but helps the new install look clean.
Use spackling paste to fill odd wall gaps and dents. Carefully sand everything smooth once dry. Then wipe away any dust to clear the area.
Make sure the wire hole itself cleanly fits all the wiring you need to connect without cramming and bending wires uncomfortably. File the edges gently with an emery board if needed to open up space.
Any wall prep work done now saves the new thermostat backplate from covering up irregularities later on.
Connect the Wires
Okay, time for the biggest make-or-break step: wiring connections! Refer frequently to the old thermostat’s wiring setup and any manuals for guidance. Work slowly and double-check everything.
If the provided screws on the new thermostat terminals seem too large or oddly spaced to snugly fit the exiting wire gauge, don’t force anything. Seek out appropriately sized screw terminals at a hardware store instead for a perfect fit. This prevents loose connections down the line.
Group all wiring neatly so it fits cleanly into the designated wall opening without pressure or bunching. Leave no bare copper exposed on the wire ends for safety. Follow the coded labels you added earlier to replicate original wire connections.
Once satisfied with the wiring work, flip the breaker back on temporarily to check your work. Make sure the heating/cooling kicks on just like with the old unit. If so, things should operate correctly when finished. Flip the breaker back off to continue.
Mount New Thermostat
Now that the electronics are safely setup, shift focus to physically mounting the new smart thermostat and finishing up.
First, detach just the front housing of the device if it separates from the mounting backplate. Leave the backplate itself mounted to the wall for the final wiring connections.
Use the included screws or provided drywall anchors to firmly affix the thermostat backplate to the wall over the prepared wiring opening. Make sure screw heads sit flush, not sticking out enough to prevent the housing from sitting level later on.
With the base securely in place, very carefully push all the connected wire ends biting into the wall opening so they fit without stress. Then double check each wire connection to terminals on the back of the unit. Verify manual temperature controls also properly cycle the HVAC system just in case smart controls fail or need resets later.
Finally, align the edges and gently snap the smart thermostat’s front housing onto the mounted backplate. Press firmly around the edges to adhere the components together securely. Make sure the housing sits straight and doesn’t awkwardly jut off the wall. You’re so close to the finish line!
Post-Installation Steps
You did it! The challenging installation itself is complete. Now just configure your new smart thermostat so it actually works right:
Connect to WiFi and Configure App
Insert batteries into your smart thermostat if it uses them as an optional backup. Then turn the breaker back on to power it up. The unit may automatically begin searching for WiFi networks to join.
Next, install the companion app from the thermostat maker. On first launch, the app should walk you through connecting to your new device over WiFi. Provide the device name if requested then enter your WiFi network password for internet access.
Most smart thermostat apps make setup fairly intuitive. Answer any initial questions about your type HVAC system to ensure compatibility. Register your thermostat if necessary so it interfaces with the cloud. And customize settings like units (F vs C), temperature range and thresholds to prevent overcooling or heating.
You’ll also want to configure the thermostat’s programming and automation capabilities that provide much of the convenience value. Set a daily schedule with temperature changes timed to match when you wake up, leave for work, return home and go to sleep. Adjust weekend settings too if your patterns differ. This lets your home automatically cool/warm to comfortable levels right as you need them.
Many models even support geofencing location triggers to detect when you’re heading home and activate settings. IFTTT integration can tie thermostat operation to other smart devices and platforms too.
Take time to thoroughly test operating modes and programmed routines to ensure the thermostat works as intended around the clock. Fine tune any aspects not performing correctly. While fairly intuitive overall, complex automation across multiple features introduces chances for things to occasionally bug out.
Verify Correct HVAC Control Operation
Even with the smart features configured, manually verify basic HVAC operation across heating, cooling and fan modes. Switch between them to confirm the system responds and activates as expected based on traditional manual temperature up/down changes.
Listen for odd sounds, vibration or smells during all cycles that may indicate airflow blockages or incorrect refrigerant pressure. Remember to shut off furnace or AC operation once satisfied all is working safely to spec.
Ideally let the automated programs, learning mode and optimizations handle most temperature adjustments going forward. But always good to manually test fallback manual operation too.
Conclusion
After following this guide through pre-installation planning, physical mounting, wiring, and configuring your new smart thermostat, you hopefully feel empowered to take temperature automation into your own hands. No need for expensive contractor visits for basic upgrades like this.
While WiFi connectivity introduces some complexity, the one-time setup pays off for years via remote access, customized scheduling, automation based on habits, and potential energy savings. So pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
If at any point things didn’t go quite right, don’t panic. Simply turn off the system and double back through previous steps to identify loose connections or configuration mistakes. These guides can’t account for every unique home scenario, so taking your time is key.
But ideally by now you have a slick new smart thermostat perfectly tuned to your lifestyle. So put up your feet and enjoy stable comfortable temperatures and lowered power bills this season. No more coming home to sweltering or freezing conditions thanks to DIY smart home upgrades!
