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What is an Outlet Thermostat?

Troy Holmes
Troy Holmes

An outlet thermostats is a device that helps homeowners save money by reducing the electricity consumption of portable heat and air conditioning systems. An outlet thermostat connects to an electrical outlet and manages the power supply based on the room temperature. These thermostats are used for space heaters or cooling systems that use wall electric outlets.

One of the biggest benefits of an outlet thermostat is automated control of room temperature. These thermostats automatically turned off the power to a wall-mounted air conditioning system once the desired temperature is reached. This keeps the room cool without wasting electricity.

Outlet thermostats can be paired with window- or wall-mounted air conditioners.
Outlet thermostats can be paired with window- or wall-mounted air conditioners.

Many people use the outlet thermostat to control fans and window-mounted air conditioning systems. This thermostat will automatically turn on an electric fan once the room temperature reaches a specific setting. This adds comfort and convenience to older homes that don’t have centralized air conditioning systems.

Repairing an outlet thermostat can be a difficult task. These thermostats control electric current to air conditioning units and should only be modified by experienced electricians. Tampering with this product could result in electrical fire or overheating of the electric power cord.

An outlet thermostat generally includes an automatic on-and-off feature. Users can set the device to turn on at a specific temperature, and then to turn off at another specific temperature. These settings are the high and low temperature levels that determine when electric current will be available.

Many greenhouses and small poultry coops use outlet thermostats to control the solar lighting for plants and animals. This unit will automatically turn on the lights once a low temperature is detected. This is a cost-effective method of providing sufficient heat and lighting for small plants and birds.

There are a few outlet thermostats that have advanced timer features. This allows custom temperature controls for specific times during the day. The homeowner can use these features to keep the home cool during the night, which can save electricity usage. A timer outlet is typically more expensive then a standard outlet thermostat because of the advanced clock features.

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    • Outlet thermostats can be paired with window- or wall-mounted air conditioners.
      By: Cyril Comtat
      Outlet thermostats can be paired with window- or wall-mounted air conditioners.