If you search the internet or go to a big box home store, you might believe that changing a thermostat is something very easy that you should absolutely attempt yourself, like, say, hanging a picture or unclogging the shower drain. But, in fact, changing a thermostat can be very complicated and potentially dangerous.

We can’t tell you how many times we have been called to a home where the customer had attempted to install a thermostat and couldn’t get it to work. Sometimes homeowners just choose the wrong thermostat to install (they are not one-size-fits-all) and sometimes they just find themselves in over their head when the wires don’t match up. Thermostats have evolved a great deal over the years, so if you are replacing a very old thermostat, it may look like things don’t match up at all. This is definitely a situation when you should have a professional do your thermostat installation.

Of course, if you have some electrical knowledge and a good understanding of thermostats and how they work, you can save some money by replacing your thermostat yourself.

If you do not have this knowledge and choose to replace a thermostat by yourself, you could risk:

• An electrical shock (not deadly, but can be very painful)
• Blowing a circuit breaker or otherwise damaging the electrical system
• Ruining the thermostat
• Possibly having the thermostat’s warranty voided because it was not installed by an HVAC professional
• Damaging your system’s low voltage circuits and/or mechanical systems (which could be very costly)
• Losing energy efficiency and performance from your unit due to a poor configuration
• Higher heating and cooling bills

Mode installs all makes and models of thermostats. We can even install a customer-purchased thermostat (as long as it is the right one for your system). If you don’t know what type of thermostat would work best for you, give us a call at 804-481-6633 and we can schedule a free in-home visit to best determine your options.