Lyfia,

If you don't want to flip switches between heating and cooling, you want a thermostat with an "Auto
changeover" switch. You will also need a thermostat with an "outside air temperature sensor" option. Using a setting of 60 degrees (Outside) the thermostat decides if your in heating or cooling mode. You also want a programmable thermostat - Ca-Ching. Honeywell has a line of professional installation only thermostats that will do that and much more. Called "Honeywell Vision Series" they fully integrate remote indoor temp sensors, outdoor temp sensors, humidifiers, dehumidification, Ventilation air, UV lights, zone dampers, filter changes,...

Thanks,

Dan Martyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Honeywell Vision Series

YES. We use them all the time in commercial applications.
To set that up in a residential application will be more
money than you want to spend. I don't do residential but i
think there is a programable stat set to " auto " will do
that. check with the rest of the boys on this site. I think they can help you with what you need. i build my own.
Good luck. you are in good hands. Listen to the boys. They
know what is what. ( girls too ). I've worked with women
techs. They seem more thorough and patient than men. Who
knew. Soffie was one of the best techs i knew. she was only
24 when she got her ticket. Her husband made her quit.
Too bad. He was jealous of her. This is getting off topic.
good luck. I'm sure you will find help.

funny , these guys are recommending a high dollar solution. i simply bought a 7 day programmable tstat from lowes that has the auto feature. the way it works is you set your heat to maintain say 70, cool set to maintain 74. if it gets hotter than 74, the tstat kicks on the AC. cooler than 70 and it kicks on the heater. never had a problem with it. no exterior sensors needed, it goes by your indoor temps. i actually had mine set closer together, around 70H and 72Cool, but i like an even temp in the house.

oh, and it cost me around 80.00!

Thanks everybody!

davidandkasie - I'm guessing because they are used to commercial like they both mentioned and haven't seen the residential ones. So can you tell me what brand and model yours is as it sounds just like what I want.

Hunter auto season changing - Is it like this one?

lyfia, yes tha tis it exactly. makes me mad too, i paid 80.00 each for 2 of them, now my store has them for 59.00 each! then 18 months later i got a new HP and had to change 1 out so i brought it and installed at my office.

Thermostats that automatically switch from heating to cooling (and back) are available from Honeywell.
Many require an 'always hot' wore from the furnace to run (no power stealing).
They run about $100+

Auto-switching thermostats have been around for years, even before electronics were common.

Carrier also makes an excellent t-stat that does all you want.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carrier Performance thermostat