Home Repair & Maintenance : How Does a Thermostat Work?

A basic thermostat works by tripping a switch that sends power to a furnace or air compressor to begin the combustion process. Find out about the mercury switch inside of a thermostat with help from a home remodeling specialist in this free video on thermostats.

Expert: William Perkinson
Bio: William Perkinson is a partner with Perkinson Building Corporation, based in Birmingham, Ala.
Filmmaker: Tim Brown

Series Description: The most popular siding options for a home are vinyl, brick and Stucco, and vinyl is popular due to its affordable cost and the fact that it isn't hard to maintain. Discover why brick siding can be expensive with help from a home remodeling specialist in this free video series on home repair and maintenance.

[sgardner]

The face/cover on my thermostat broke off, so this was great for knowing which way to move the bubble to ensure heat doesn't come on, temporarily until I get a new one.  It might have been helpful to see the rest of the mechanism as well, on the lower right there's some sort of switch (wife thought it was to turn off the heat, turns out it wasn't ;))

[PROJECT__dot_NET]

First-rate performance You have inspired me to work on my channel, thanks. 🐼

[litealite]

I never knew that and I am 63 . thank you .

[ejw]

I turned down my thermostat all the way down to 50 last night and my heat was still cranking at 74, wouldn't turn off. Do you think the thermostat is shot or another issue?

[wednesdaywatkins]

Mine doesn’t have the on/off thing how do I turn it off?

[Yvonne-hhir]

Please help, I accidentally knocked off the cover to ahonetwell round thermostat. It stopped working

[chiquitazola]

thank you so much, was very helfull for us.

[cindymancinelli]

what if the temp is set for 68 but what if the temp in the room dosent show it getting higher...i am getting heat but the thermostat setting in room dosent rise

[Jdww]

What about upstairs, obviously heat rises. So In the winter my upstairs is hotter. is there any way to help regulate the temp?

[ESBEAUTII]

My furnace never shuts off when I have my air on, even when I turn this thermostat off the furnace is still running for hours..

[danfroilan]

the compressor dosent cool you house the evaporater coil does the compressor just transfers low pressure gas to high pressure gas

[ronieGirl]

Where was the repair? You just told is how it worked. 😢

[MsTifalicious]

Why is it I cannot find a single video to explain to a dummy who doesn't understand why it is her ac won't turn on if he desired temp is set to 77 and her home temp is less than that?

I'm trying to explain it but she ain't getting it. NOT A SINGLE VIDEO SHOWS IT. . I guess imma have to make my own. Great. Thanks. And I don't have one of dem big ol HVAC learnd'id degrees like y'all got. 😑😑😑😑😑

[jrice]

To title this "How A Thermostat Works" is a stretch. You referred to the thermometer on the bottom as a setting. Room temp is not a setting. The setting is on top. You ignored the anticipation feature. And yes exposure of the mechanism is more than just a niceity; it's essential to "How THIS Thermostat Works". Have to give a grade of "D" for "poor" on this video and a thumbs down. :(