Most people know that mercury is a terribly toxic substance to humans. When inhaled or ingested in even small quantities, mercury can cause irreparable damage to nerves and can cause a wide array of conditions. While mercury is rarely used anymore, if you have an old analog thermostat, it likely uses mercury. Switching to a mercury-free thermostat can not only benefit your health, but your wallet and comfort as well.
Mercury and Thermostats
When analog thermostats were the only option, mercury was still fairly popular. Not only could you be exposed to mercury if your analog thermostat broke, but most mercury is not properly disposed of, and is then burned or stored in a landfill. Both these disposal methods can create problems for the environment. As the health effects of being exposed to mercury were studied, new thermostats that didn’t need mercury were created.
Digital thermostats typically contain no mercury, and even feature a convenient display screen. If you aren’t ready to buy the most modern thermostat, upgrading to a cheap digital thermostat is still a good way to eliminate mercury concerns.
Thermostats for the Future
Most, if not all newer thermostat technology does not use any mercury. Upgrading to a programmable thermostat is also a great way to make your home more efficient, lowering your energy bills and increasing your comfort. They allow you to key in settings in advance, with a display screen similar to a digital thermostat. This saves you from having to go to your thermostat every time you want to make an adjustment throughout the day, since you can schedule changes ahead.
There is one even more modern option if you want the best there is on the market. A WiFi-enabled programmable thermostat offers remote access, so that you can view current settings and alter them from any internet connected device.
If you are interested in switching to a mercury-free thermostat in Amarillo and would like expert guidance, contact Amarillo Air Conditioning today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Amarillo, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about mercury-free thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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