Furnace Thermostats; how can I limit high temp to 70 degrees?

[ghelf]

I have a rental house up in the Lake Tahoe area and tenants often crank up
heat to 90 degrees. They will leave after their stay and the furnace is
still trying to maintain 90 degree temperature and is costing me big bucks.
Is there a thermostat that would allow me to set a maximum temperature?

[Morris Dovey]

On 11/30/2010 1:31 AM, ghelf wrote:

> Is there a thermostat that would allow me to set a maximum temperature?

Set a second (non-electronic) thermostat to the maximum temperature you
want to allow and glue the adjustment lever/wheel in place. Install it
in series with the existing thermostat in a location where it won't be
found, but can still accurately sense the indoor temperature.

--
Morris Dovey
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
PGP Key ID EBB1E70E

[Morris Dovey]

On 11/30/2010 8:10 AM, Morris Dovey wrote:
> On 11/30/2010 1:31 AM, ghelf wrote:
>
>> Is there a thermostat that would allow me to set a maximum temperature?
>
> Set a second (non-electronic) thermostat to the maximum temperature you
> want to allow and glue the adjustment lever/wheel in place. Install it
> in series with the existing thermostat in a location where it won't be
> found, but can still accurately sense the indoor temperature.

Disregard (I need more coffee)

[Michael B]

> Morris Doveyhttp://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
> PGP Key ID EBB1E70E

Not an unreasonable answer. As a housing inspector,
I've seen it done, and I understand. The more appropriate
answer, IMO, is to have the utility in the occupant's name.

[Josepi]

Be nicer to the residents so they stop trying to get even with you.

They will just find another way.

"ghelf" <gh...@sbcglobalDeathToSpam.net> wrote in message
news:ComdnYURON3HNWnR...@giganews.com...

[Josepi]

Be nicer to the residents so they stop trying to get even with you.

They will just find another way.

"ghelf" <gh...@sbcglobalDeathToSpam.net> wrote in message
news:ComdnYURON3HNWnR...@giganews.com...

[m II]

On 10-11-30 07:15 AM, Morris Dovey wrote:
> On 11/30/2010 8:10 AM, Morris Dovey wrote:
>> On 11/30/2010 1:31 AM, ghelf wrote:
>>
>>> Is there a thermostat that would allow me to set a maximum temperature?
>>
>> Set a second (non-electronic) thermostat to the maximum temperature you
>> want to allow and glue the adjustment lever/wheel in place. Install it
>> in series with the existing thermostat in a location where it won't be
>> found, but can still accurately sense the indoor temperature.
>
> Disregard (I need more coffee)
>

Nothing to be ashamed of.

I knew people who did that. They lived on the second floor of a house
that had the thermostat on the main floor and the furnace in the
basement. The main floor was rented out.

The top floor would get insanely hot.

They wired a top floor thermostat in series with the main floor one,
allowing heating only to the top floor maximum setting.

The only drawback I can see is that in many forced air systems, there is
a resistance element in the thermostat. It's called an anticipator. The
little wiper arm on it has to be set to the current capacity of the
furnace. It helps to prevent an 'overshoot' of the setting when the hot
air vent is across the room from the thermostat location.

It may be a good idea to use a secondary thermostat without the
anticipator resistance.

mike

[ghelf]

Why did you decide your original idea is no good? Other posters seem to
agree a second thermostat is the way to go. This is a vacation rental and
putting utility bill in their name is not practical and the tenants do not
do this deliberately. Many people think if they jack the temperature up to
90, it will get warmer faster.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

Put in 2 thernostats in series. Lock the 70 degree one in a locked
cupboard somewhere.

Another idea is to have the second thermostat a smart stat that you
can turn on by phone, and off by phone, so when they leave you call in
and turn the heat down to frostproof

[ne...@jecarter.us]

On Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:10:37 -0600, Morris Dovey <mrd...@iedu.com>
wrote:

>On 11/30/2010 1:31 AM, ghelf wrote:
>
>> Is there a thermostat that would allow me to set a maximum temperature?
>
>Set a second (non-electronic) thermostat to the maximum temperature you
>want to allow and glue the adjustment lever/wheel in place. Install it
>in series with the existing thermostat in a location where it won't be
>found, but can still accurately sense the indoor temperature.

One of the old round thermostats with a mercury switch works well for
this - there's a lot of surface area between the wheel and the case
for gluing.

"A location where it won't be found" is usually behind a piece of
furniture that is too heavy to be easily moved - such as a large chest
of drawers. Behind a large picture can also be a good place for the
other thermostat. Couches and upholstered chairs are always subject
to rearrangement.

Closets are usually several degrees away from the room temperature so
aren't the best place for a thermostat - unless you want to put a
"dummy" thermostat in a closet so the people can "find" what's keeping
the heat from getting as high as they want it to be. Once they've
adjusted that "hidden" thermostat, they'll probably stop looking ;-)

John

[Morris Dovey]

On 11/30/2010 12:06 PM, ghelf wrote:

> Why did you decide your original idea is no good?

Low caffeine level (in both instances). Most likely I was just trying to
make a hard problem out of an easy one. :-p

> Other posters seem to
> agree a second thermostat is the way to go. This is a vacation rental
> and putting utility bill in their name is not practical and the tenants
> do not do this deliberately. Many people think if they jack the
> temperature up to 90, it will get warmer faster.

I think you have the right of it - but if the furnace is the only source
of heat you might allow a slightly higher setting (72° or 73°) if there
are scrawny old folks (like me) or recently hospitalized folk (of any
age or build) in the group...

...I think I'd be willing to pay a little more to be comfortable, but
I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to return to, or speak well of, a
vacation place where I couldn't get comfortable. ($0.02)

[hubops]

There are password-protected programmable thermostats available -
according to my google search - I can't vouch for them.

[Martin Riddle]

"ghelf" <gh...@sbcglobalDeathToSpam.net> wrote in message
news:ComdnYURON3HNWnR...@giganews.com...

Yes,
Landlordstat tamper proof ( limited temperature range settings !!!)
<http://www.landlordstat.com/>

Here are some other soultions....

IP Thermostat, or Internet thermostat.
<http://www.smarthome.com/3054T/Programmable-Thermostat-NT10e/p.aspx>
Providing you have internet service in the rental.

Password protected Thermostats
<http://yourhome.honeywell.com/home/Products/Thermostats/>
<http://www.pexsupply.com/Robertshaw-300-225-300-225-Programmable-Thermostat-4837000-p>

Hope that helps

Cheers

[Martin Riddle]

"Morris Dovey" <mrd...@iedu.com> wrote in message
news:id3h68$njl$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

I think he's looking for something like this...
<http://www.landlordstat.com/>

Cheers

[ghelf]

Yes, this is what I am looking for and it is reasonably priced. The other
link you gave me for an internet enabled thermostat is also very interesting
but very expensive.
Thanks for your help.

[Pete C.]

There are a number of networkable Internet accessible thermostats
available these days, if you have 'net connectivity at the place you can
install one and can manage it remotely, i.e. turn it down to 50 when the
tenants have left.

[nigelh...@gmail.com]

I use Control Temp for my rentals and works great.

http://www.controltempthermostats.com/products.html

Nigel