Home Theromostat controlled by Smart Phone (Verizon, iPhone, Android, cable)
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I have a palm pre with sprint (would not like this phone if possible)
but need to be able to change the temp in a house that I own but don't live in to save on the electric bill. I want to turn the heat up when the temps is below freezing to prevent the water inside the house from freezing and turn the temp down low or off when the temp outside is staying above freezing without having to go to the house every day to adjust this.
I've seen a couple. They don't require a phone line, but they do require internet, not surprisingly. The problem (for me anyway) is that they only have apps for the iPhone at the moment.
I found a Honeywell CT50K1028/E Low Temperature/Garage Thermostat by Googling low temperature range thermostat. This one goes from 35 to 85 degrees, I believe. I'm sure there are others. I would think that you could set it at 35 (or whatever you feel safe at) and it would only put out enough heat to keep the house minimally warm. If you have a mercury switch type thermostat, I guess you could try tilting the whole thermostat so you are fooling the design into not tripping unless it is 35 degrees (or whatever) but I don't really know if that would work.
I have a thermostat
and I had it set for 65 when the temp wasn't getting above freezing for a week or so
but when the temp is above freezing, I want to just turn the whole thing off without going to the house.
Evan, how do you get internet without a phone line?
and I don't have the i-phone and not interested in getting on either
I have a palm pre.
lookes like I will just have to go and turn the heat on when it's below freezing
I don't think you follow what I am suggesting...change your thermostat to one that can be set at 35 degrees. If the temperature drops below 35 degrees, the heat comes on only long enough to keep the inside air temperature at 35 degrees. Once the temperature is at 35 degrees (or anything higher) the heat will not be on. The system will be on but it won't be actually cranking out any heat or using any electricity. You want to have the heat on only enough to keep the temperature in the house above freezing, right? And, if the temperature is above freezing, you don't want to use any electricity, right? This will do it. Only thing is, 35 degrees inside the house might not be warm enough to keep pipes in exterior walls warm enough so you might actually need to set it higher.
ok, will go and check to see how low the thermostat will go, I had it at 65 degrees
which I guess was way too high (I just didn't want the pipes to freeze)
I went and turned it off yesterday, but when it gets to freezing, I will go and turn it back on and see how low I can make it go.
200$ electric bill for not living in a house is way too much to be paying
Evan, how do you get internet without a phone line?
Well there's cable internet, fiber like Verizon's FiOS, wireless like Clearwire and some telco companies offer 'dry loop' or 'naked' DSL which doesn't require paying for a landline.
Quote:
and I don't have the i-phone and not interested in getting on either
I have a palm pre.
Oh yes, I understand that, I was just mentioning.... I imagine some of these manufacturers will get around to releasing Android apps sooner or later. webOS...probably later, maybe much later.
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