In This Podcast:

Geoff Godwin, vice president of marketing for White-Rodgers, discusses the future of residential thermostats, including where the technology is headed, what features homeowners are demanding, and how these changes might impact HVAC contractors.

Q: Regarding basic, nonprogrammable, mechanical thermostats, do you think they will eventually disappear as technology advances?

A: The sales of mechanical thermostats are declining a bit every year. New construction almost always requires a programmable, digital thermostat. Most homeowners and contractors like the programmable thermostat, especially if energy efficiency is a deciding factor in the selection process. But, there is still a demand for basic, reliable, on-off controls, and we feel they’ll be around for a number of years.

Q: Regarding mid-tier thermostats, which changes are gaining in popularity?

A: For the mid-tier range, $20-$100 units, we’re seeing much larger screens – what used to be a 2-inch green screen has evolved into a 4-inch screen, making it easier for the homeowner to see. Also, many variations of shape and design are emerging. The colors are brighter — you used to be able to pick any variation of cream you wanted, but now we’re seeing many different shades of white and silver, and whenever a consumer is looking to replace a thermostat, they are looking at aesthetics. They want it to look good on the wall.

Geoff Godwin
Vice president of marketing, White-Rodgers
http://www.white-rodgers.com

Click here to hear the remainder of the conversation.

Publication date: 9/23/2013
 

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!