Need an additional reason to upgrade to a programmable thermostat? Many of the older model thermostats use mercury tilt switches to control the temperature, and this mercury has the potential to pose hazards to your family’s health.
So how do you know if your older model thermostat contains mercury? If you remove the cover of the front of your thermostat, you can check to see if you can spot any clear glass tubes that contain a silver liquid. If so, you have a thermostat that contains mercury.
Even though these older model thermostats typically contain just a small amount of mercury (about 1/8 of a teaspoon), it can be extremely harmful to your household if the mercury ever spilled. The mercury vapors could get into the air of your home, which can lead to the development of serious health problems. It can be very difficult and expensive to clean up mercury that spills in your home, and often mercury spills are not covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy.
If you live in Bloomfield Hills, Gross Pointe or another of the other communities in Southeast Michigan, you should know that Michigan law now bans the sale of thermostats that contain mercury or any type of mercury compound. Therefore, if you choose to upgrade to a programmable thermostat, you can feel good knowing that you are not introducing mercury into your home’s environment.
Programmable thermostats offer additional benefits other than helping to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home while providing you with an opportunity to save on both energy output and money.
To learn more about upgrading to a programmable thermostat, please contact us at Aladdin Heating & Cooling, your source for maintaining a comfortable environment in your Southeast Michigan home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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