People who fancy interior design and perfection in their wall decoration might be tempted to cover up their thermostat with virtually anything appealing to the eye; however, covering up your thermostat with a painting or a frame improves your apartment’s visual appearance. Still, it isn’t advisable to cover up your thermostat.
This article outlines all you need to know about the thermostat and thermostat cover.
What is a Thermostat
A thermostat is relatively different from a thermometer. A thermometer reads the temperature of a room while a thermostat controls and regulates that temperature Thermostats appear in many forms ranging from traditional temperature dials or even smartphone apps; To any device that controls the heating system in your room is a thermostat.
A thermostat detects any changes to the surrounding temperature and signals the heating system. It allows you to set your preferred room temperature, and the thermostat always works to regulate the room to that temperature no matter the weather condition.
How Do Thermostats Work
Before technology became so advanced, thermostats functioned mechanically using bits of metals compared to now; thermostats now have smart functions like electronic sensors, auto-regulatory functions, etc.
Mechanical thermostats function on the principle of thermal expansion; matter increases when heated and contracts when cooled. Mechanical thermostats are bimetallic strips that expand when the heat rises and contract when the room is cooler. This principle allows the thermostat to regulate the room temperature accurately.
Digital thermostats, on the other hand, are built with internal components capable of accurately reading a room temperature and actively responding to changes in temperature.
Types of Thermostats
There are different types of thermostats; mechanical, non-programmable, Wi-Fi, Programmable, and Smart Thermostats. However, we would discuss the two most common ones:
Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat allows users to set temperatures for different schedules throughout the week. This relieves you the stress of manually adjusting the thermostat regularly because the temperature changes according to the preset schedules.
Programmable thermostats vary in complexity. Some allow users to program once per week, while some more advanced thermostats allow users to program different settings for different days of the week.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats are the most advanced thermostats in the market. These thermostats are the pricer, more intelligent, and most convenient thermostats.
However, in contrast to programmable thermostats, a smart thermostat offers you more control over your heating schedules, like the ability to program different heating schedules for different times of the day.
Some super advanced smart thermostats possess A.I and self-learning features like integrating local weather forecast to your schedules, learning from your routine heat settings, and remote control feature through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth or a mobile app. Although smart thermostats are pricer, they help a lot more in saving heating bills.
Can I Cover My Thermostat?
Many traditional thermostats are not very fancy and may sometimes ruin your interior decor. Covering up your thermostat with a frame or painting might solve the design problem, but this alters the thermostat readings. This could cause the thermostat to “believe” that the room is colder or hotter than it is.
It’s also recommended that you avoid placing objects capable of generating heat like TVs and lamps near your thermostat. This could result in inaccurate readings of the temperature in your home. If your thermostat records incorrect temperature readings, it won’t provide the best comfortable setting for your home.
Covering your thermostat could deplete the efficiency of your thermostat and could lead to a spike in electric bills.
How to Cover Your Thermostat
However, if you must cover your thermostat because it’s too ugly, try to disguise it to blend with your interior decor. The following are some of the best methods you can use to cover your thermostat without affecting its efficiency:
1. Use a Tall Plant
Plants are one of the best items you can use to disguise your thermostat without affecting its readings. Plants bring life into the house, and they can help you conceal your ugly thermostat easily. Since plants are not heating objects, they’re perfect for covering your thermostat.
2. Use Beautiful Artwork
Another efficient way to cover up your thermostat is by using exciting art pieces. You can cover your thermostat with paintings, art print, art banners, wall art.
If you choose to cover your thermostat with a piece of art, once you wish to regulate or adjust your thermostat’s settings, you can easily take down the piece of art and once you’re done with adjustment, put it right back on.
3. Using a Banner or a Poster
This option requires a bit more work to ensure that you don’t obstruct the airflow from your thermostat. This is because using a poster to cover your thermostat would hide it entirely from the eye.
However, if you choose to use a poster, attach the poster to a block of wood or curtain wires with hooks that allow the sign to hang on the wall without obstructing the airflow conveniently.
4. Purchase a Newer Model
Go for it if you can spare the cash for a newer, more attractive thermostat. This is most expensive way but if you have cash then go for it.
Conclusion
No matter which option you decide to use, these are all great starting points for you to understand the workings of your thermostat and discover the best creative methods you can use to blend your thermostat into your home’s interior design.
