Thermostat placed in hot hallway

[ni4ni]

The thermostat in my home is placed in a hallway which has no registers. The hallway is warmer than the rest of the house so the thermostat says that it is always 77 to 80 degrees in house. The AC unit constantly runs because I set the thermostat down to keep the house cool. What can be done, short of moving thermostat so that AC unit doesn't constantly run and raise electrical costs?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Short answer: Nothing

Workable answer: Replace the thermostat with a wireless thermostat that can be placed anywhere you choose. They run in price from $105 to $230.

 

[jagec]

Umm, turn the thermostat up until most of the house is at a comfortable temperature, and leave it there?

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Short answer: Nothing

Workable answer: Replace the thermostat with a wireless thermostat that can be placed anywhere you choose. They run in price from $105 to $230.

No reason to waste the money. The thermostat works fine, and unless the hallway is completely thermally isolated from the rest of the house, it can be used to control the temperature in the house as normal, just with a slightly higher setpoint.

 

[smack Down]

Turn the thermostat up.

 

[MustangSVT]

time to move

 

[drinkmorejava]

Originally posted by: smack Down
Turn the thermostat up.

that's what I was thinking

 

[Ronstang]

Your thermostat should be within 5-10 of the return air grill. If that is in the hallway that is where the thermostat needs to be. Use a thermometer to check the rooms and set the thermostat to keep that temperature and ignore the temp the thermostat displays. You could also add a duct and register to the hallway.

 

[Rubycon]

Normally thermostats are placed near returns. Why does the hallway not have a return? Is it a dual duct system? (supply and return in sleeping quarters?)

As suggested you can shift your setpoint accordingly to improve comfort and save on power bills. If the dwelling uses panning (so space between studs is a plenum) you can find this and if close enough to the 'stat cut out in between the studs and install a grille that will add a return to the hallway.

Other options include replacing the thermostat with one that allows attachment of a remote sensor to monitor a location far away from the physical location. The stat can be moved as well since most use common 24VAC control voltage and standard 24AWG copper clad bell (alarm) wiring can be used. (common beige or brown jacket cable)

 

[bctbct]

Point a fan at it to cool it down.

 

[ni4ni]

Originally posted by: jagec
Umm, turn the thermostat up until most of the house is at a comfortable temperature, and leave it there?

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Short answer: Nothing

Workable answer: Replace the thermostat with a wireless thermostat that can be placed anywhere you choose. They run in price from $105 to $230.

No reason to waste the money. The thermostat works fine, and unless the hallway is completely thermally isolated from the rest of the house, it can be used to control the temperature in the house as normal, just with a slightly higher setpoint.

That is what we are doing now but I was hoping to fix the problem as it just bugs me.

 

[Squisher]

Is this an electronic thermostat? If it is you probably can set the sensitivity up which will cause A/C to cycle more often for shorted periods. This will be less efficient, but might improve your comfort level.

A very small fan pointed down the length of the hallway might level out your temperatures in the house too.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: jagec
Umm, turn the thermostat up until most of the house is at a comfortable temperature, and leave it there?

NO WAY :Q

:laugh:

What's more important - the number on the thermostat, or the actual temperature of the house?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: ni4ni
That is what we are doing now but I was hoping to fix the problem as it just bugs me.

Take a sharpie and change the numbers if it bothers you that much

 

[alkemyst]

You can move the thermostat...it's going to require getting in the attic though and snaking wire down a wall...you will more than likely have to drill through the wall cap.

I don't know of many dwellings of the average construction that is set up to use ductless plenums...it's common in buildings between floors though.

Also monitoring the temps in other rooms and setting your thermostat based on that number may work as mentioned above. However; a thermostat in the wrong area make have too much a temp differential to average out to a good temp.

They sell thermostat wiring in home depot/lowes.