How does a Thermostat Work

Did you know our bodies have built-in thermostats that control our body temperature? That is unbelievably cool as our bodies do the work for us. They have self-regulating mechanisms that maintain our body temperature so that our bodies are never too hot or too cold. However, in the world we live in, we need to do everything ourselves. Ever heard someone say to adjust the thermostat of the AC and you have stared blankly at his or her face? Not anymore because in this article you will not only understand what a thermostat is but how does it work.

What is a thermostat?

Thermo is a Greek word which means ‘heat’ while statos means to ‘keep it same’.
This is basically a device that controls the temperature in various machines or rooms. Thermostats, apart from homes are found in cars, refrigerators, water heaters, ovens. Their basic task is to keep a constant temperature. While most people tend to confuse between a thermometer and a thermostat, the basic difference is that one measure the temperature while the latter maintains a steady temperature.

How does a thermostat work?

Most people tend to understand what a thermostat does but how does it do it? That is the point our brains just give up. Basically, there are two types of thermostats, one of them are much modern which are digital that are much easier to understand while others are non-digital that are much technical to wrap your head around.

Digital Thermostat

Electronic thermostat or digital thermostats are much more commonly found now. These types of thermostats are much easier to understand as they function like a mini computer which allows them to be programmed accordingly. They have timers which can be set to allow you to warm or cool your house at any time of day or night. This means that your home will be cool on a hot summer day when you arrive back from work. Well! Who would’ve thought?
They use sensors and electronic circuits to identify and determine the temperature the home is at and what temperature it should be in and control it accordingly. Furthermore, it gives Wi-Fi connectivity through which it can be controlled remotely through a laptop, tablet or a smartphone. Like we were already not lazy enough!

Non-digital Thermostat

Non-digital thermostat or electromechanical thermostats are a little tricky to decipher. A bi-metal coil or metal strip is connected to form an electric circuit which moves with temperature fluctuations. Mercury is found in the small container or vial (For those who don’t know mercury conducts electricity). So, basically as the coil moves, it allows mercury to move from one side to another indicating the change in temperature and that the heating or cooling needs to be turned on or off.

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Nevertheless, any kind of thermostat you might have, it is essential to understand how to works because it allows you to save energy and thus electricity in your homes.