Thermostat Relocation

7 years ago

I currently have a colonial house with 5(!) zones; 2 for cooling and 3 for heating (radiant). The zones are laid out as follows:

(1) AC upstairs

(2) AC downstairs

(3) Heating for kitchen

(4) Heating for main floor plus master (second floor)

(5) Heating for remainder of second floor (located on first floor)

Yes, complicated, but a very simple fix in theory. If I combine (1) and (5) on the second floor I'd basically have total second floor control (aside from master). If I combine (2) and (4) I'd have total first floor control. I'm willing to leaving the kitchen heat alone.

This would require moving one thermostat upstairs, and relocating another to a different room. This seems like it would be quite complicated to find and route the wiring through the entire house. Is this something that is commonly done?

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Comments (4)

mike_home
7 years ago
Running wires from the first or second floor could easy or very difficult. You don't know until you try. It may sometimes require a few holes to be made in the wall to help snake the wire around obstacles. A good electrician has snakes and long drill bits to make it easier.

Another solution is to install a thermostat that can be connected to a wireless remote sensor. You could install one or more remote sensors on the second floor and keep the thermostat on the first floor. The drawback to this is the remote sensors are battery operated. The batteries would need to be changed on a remote basis. I would try for wired solution first.
Jon S
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks, Mike. I've actually considered remote sensors, but re-wiring would target the root of the issue. Also, 5 thermostats is a lot to maintain, and cutting that down to three (with two primary) would allow me to use smart/learning thermostats as well.
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Bruce in Northern Virginia
7 years ago
I have separate heating (hydronic cast iron radiators) and cooling (A/C system in the attic), and they are both connected to the same thermostat. The only quirk I've found is that the boiler has a minimum water temp setting of 100 degrees, so I have to turn the boiler off in the summer so that it does not keep heating water that will never be circulated. Other than that, I just flip the thermostat from heat to cool and it switches from the boiler to the A/C.

I have one set of wires running from the boiler in the basement up to the 1st floor thermostat, and another set of wires running from the A/C in the attic down to the 1st floor thermostat. It was a little tricky for them to find the routing, but its only low voltage thermostat wiring (small diameter), and its easy to pull around corners and through holes in the framing. You don't need an electrician to run thermostat wire; you just need someone who will spend time to find the best path.

Bruce
Jon S thanked Bruce in Northern Virginia
Jon S
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks Bruce. I have the same exact setup with a hydronic radiator setup and AC. I’m fairly handy but not sure I can stomach punching holes through my walls! Either way, sounds like it’s possible and maybe just a matter of time and cost.