Upgrade room thermostat ?

I'm renting an apartment and keep my corn snake and my crested gecko in my bedroom. It's cold up here in Montreal so we heat homes from Oct., Nov -> April.

It seems like the thermostat in my bedroom doesn't keep as steady a temp. as I would like. It would seem to let the temps fall more than I would like before heating up again , and at the end of the heating cycle it almost seems a bit too hot.

Are higher end thermostats able to keep a more steady temp ? I wouldn't be using any programmable features on it , it would be only to keep a steadier temp.

I don't know the answer to that! I do know that my programmable thermostat turns the heat on when it falls one degree below my set temp.

They are fairly simple to install yourself- just make sure you take notes on what wires went where when you remove the old one!

I _think_ my previous thermostat before the one I got when I got a new heat pump was a Rite Temp. It was pretty easy to install and when I had a question while installing it I got to talk to a real person, on a Saturday, and their customer service was EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!

mugenjin said:

I'm renting an apartment and keep my corn snake and my crested gecko in my bedroom. It's cold up here in Montreal so we heat homes from Oct., Nov -> April.

It seems like the thermostat in my bedroom doesn't keep as steady a temp. as I would like. It would seem to let the temps fall more than I would like before heating up again , and at the end of the heating cycle it almost seems a bit too hot.

Are higher end thermostats able to keep a more steady temp ? I wouldn't be using any programmable features on it , it would be only to keep a steadier temp.

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Hey mugenjin,

You are asking a trick question because the answer depends on the type of heating you have and what your old T-stat is and if it was set up properly for the type of heating you have. So, I am going to answer in a general way.

Are higher end thermostats able to keep a more steady temp ? Yes

What I would recommend is a digital Honeywell T-stat and Honeywell makes digital T-stats that are not programmable. If you have a digital T-stat already it may not be the proper one for your type of heating. If you have an improper T-stat on the wrong heating source it will cause over shooting of the temperature.

Hope this helps Love the Fatman

You know what, though. As far as the cornsnake is concerned, a steady temp isn't all that important, as long as he has a UTH on a thermostat so _his_ warm place stays 80-85. It's okay if that varies within that range. His thermostat will adjust the UTH in response to the room temp. The cool side temp doesn't matter at all, as long as you keep it warmer than say 60-65.

Took off the front panel , couldn't see a model# but it is a really basic Honeywell w/o any digital display. Just a basic knob. Home uses electric heating if that makes a difference.

I also leave the window slightly open to let in some fresh air , just a mm or 2. That obviously cools the room more quickly but the T-stat should still kick in before it usually does it seems.

mugenjin said:

Took off the front panel , couldn't see a model# but it is a really basic Honeywell w/o any digital display. Just a basic knob. Home uses electric heating if that makes a difference.

I also leave the window slightly open to let in some fresh air , just a mm or 2. That obviously cools the room more quickly but the T-stat should still kick in before it usually does it seems.

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ya those types of thermostats rely on a piece of metal to flex to turn the heat on and off so they are pretty crude and take a few degrees to function.

if you do go the programable/digital type make sure you read the package and it says its ok for electric baseboard heaters. most baseboard heaters operate directly from the wall thermostat so it draws alot of power through there.
get one rated for forced air/heat pump only and it could be a fire.

i agree with the previous post about a thermostat on a UTH, if you have one then I wouldn't worry too much

It's more of an annoyance than a health concern at this point. I've never had any issues with my corn or gecko.

I also would prefer that my pets not feel too confined to their heated areas b/c the ambient temp is a bit low. The room is even too cold for my liking at times even though I have it set fairly high.

Thanks for the info about the baseboard heaters. I'm pretty sure based on what I've been told here that it'll be worth the investment when I can free up some cash. Thanks people.

Is that what you have, baseboard heat?

One big thing to think about, you rent and don't own so, do you have permission from your landlord to alter their home? You can get in big trouble doing repairs and alterations without permission in rentals. Ask me how I know (blush).

Nanci said:

Is that what you have, baseboard heat?

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Looked it up online to double check , yes.

One big thing to think about, you rent and don't own so, do you have permission from your landlord to alter their home? You can get in big trouble doing repairs and alterations without permission in rentals. Ask me how I know (blush).

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Appreciate the advice , but I don't think it's an issue when it comes to T-stats. I can replace the old ones in if I move out and my heating is not included in the rent so just on the basis of saving heating costs by using a programmable t-stat , I don't think he could object as long as I can replace the old one.