Hot water circulation is the most effective way of keeping your home warm. Once the water is heated in the boiler, it is pumped to the baseboard heaters in the various rooms ensuring a constant circulation around the house.
But you don’t want the boiler to be over or under heated. That’s why a thermostat is crucial. You set the temperature according to your home needs and the work gets done whether you’re around or away.
Generally, people prefer hot water baseboard heating to other modes of heating due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of installation. And this should not be ruined by a poorly functioning thermostat.
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Consequently, we have scoured all the market options and bring you products that are guaranteed to satisfy you. Read on!
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Comparison Table
In summary, these are top picks with their most outstanding features.
| Product | Programmable | Average Installation Duration | Battery/C-wire powered |
| Honeywell Home RTH7560E | Yes | 30 | Battery |
| Emerson Sensi ST55 Smart Thermostat | Yes | 30 | C-wire |
| Google T3007ES Nest Thermostat | Yes | 30 | Battery |
| Lux TX9600TS | Yes | — | Battery |
| Honeywell Home RTH6580WF | Yes | 30 | C-wire |
1. Honeywell Home RTH7560E
With a flexible 7-day programming function, you can schedule your home heating and cooling for the whole week, weekend wise or daily if need be.
This smart thermostat eases your work by learning your heating run times and automatically delivering the temperature you like most in your house.
Equipped with a super-large backlit display that shows the required set temperature, room temperature, and time.
The installation has been simplified by the included UWP mounting system that uses uniform wiring.
Additionally, it has smart alerts feature that will give you reminders on the replacement of air filters and low batteries.
In case there is a power blackout, your thermostat retains the set program in its memory so you won’t have to reset it.
Pros
· Straightforward installation
· Memory retains program in power outage situations
· User-friendly
· Smart learning feature
Cons
· C-wire incompatible running only on battery
2. Emerson Sensi ST55 Smart Thermostat
If you have an Alexa device, then controlling your heating or cooling can’t be easier with Wi-Fi smart Emerson Sensi thermostat.
Certified by Energy Star, this thermostat can help you save HVAC energy bills by an enormous 23%. And it will only take you 30 minutes to install.
Notably, it requires a C-wire for heat-only or cool-only systems but it is compatible with the majority of HVAC equipment. Heat pump systems supported.
Apart from Alexa, this thermostat works with other smart home platforms like SmartThings, Apple Homekit, and Google Assistant.
Using an Android or iOS device you can control your home temperature from any location via the Sensi mobile app. Incorporated geofencing technology also ensures you find your house in the right condition for your comfort.
It also has smart alerts feature to help you keep things at an optimum level of functioning.
Pros
· Energy-saving, certified by Energy Star
· Excellent remote control
· Compatible with multiple smart home platforms
Cons
· Heat pump, cool only, and heat only systems require C-wire
3. Google T3007ES Nest Thermostat
For a fancy looking and effective smart thermostat, Google Nest ranks first. But the cost is also much higher.
With an elegant design, beautiful high-resolution display, and polished metal finish, you would never want to replace it.
Besides the looks, the thermostat will learn your schedule plus heating and cooling run times to deliver your favorite temperature while saving energy.
With a Nest temperature sensor, the thermostat gives the exact temperature set for a specific room. Its home/away assist reduces energy expenditure by auto-adjusting to an Eco temperature once you leave home.
Working with Amazon Alexa and Google Assist, you can easily regulate your home heating and cooling using your voice. You can also control the system remotely via a mobile device.
Installation is quick and can be completed by non-professionals within 30 minutes.
Pros
· Works with Alexa
· Compatible with 95% of HVAC systems.
· Adapts to your lifestyle
· Sleek design
Cons
· Quite expensive
4. Lux TX9600TS
Made with a large touchscreen display, you can control your home heating easily with a tap. The screen is also well lit making it easy to read temperatures and program the thermostat.
It works with various heating and cooling systems including 24-volt heating, one-stage cooling/ two-stage cooling, and many others.
A programmable touchpad protects the device against operation by unauthorized users. Children therefore cannot disrupt the settings.
The Lux thermostat also has adjustable temperature limit stops for heat and cool and temporary temperature override.
Notably, it is not compatible with 120 or 240-volt electric baseboard heating systems and those with double cooling stages.
Pros
· Large and well-lit touchscreen display
· Multiple options for temperature settings
· Easy to operate
Cons
· Does not work with 2-stage cooling systems and electric baseboard heaters.
5. Honeywell Home RTH6580WF
This Wi-Fi smart thermostat has a 7-day programmable feature that allows you to set your home temperatures for a whole week with a maximum of four periods per day.
When you are away from home, you can use the Total Connect app or Honeywell Home app to alter the settings at any time.
Its compatibility with multiple voice assistant devices such as Google Assistant, Alexa, and Cortana makes its operation even simpler.
Fitted with an ultra-large backlit display with clear steps for enhanced user-friendliness.
With the smart learning ability, the thermostat determines your favorite temperature and automatically delivers it to make you more comfortable.
You can also enjoy rewards from the utility rebate programs and additionally save considerable energy.
Pros
· DIY installation
· Works with Amazon Alexa
· Programmable
Cons
· Requires C-wire
Buyer’s Guide
When purchasing a thermostat for your hot water baseboard heating system, the following considerations are a must-make;
Installation
If you have installed a baseboard heater, you may be aware of how complicated the procedure is.
And you don’t want another headache in the form of a thermostat. Most products discussed here will take you half an hour on average to install.
Voltage System
Though the majority of baseboard heaters work with line voltage, some also work with low voltage systems.
So before you order a thermostat, confirm your voltage system to ensure you get the right product for heating or cooling your home.
Ease to Program
A programmable thermostat will learn your schedule, give you your favorite temperature and turn itself down when the home is empty.
Thus saving your energy bills. However, the manual thermostat will always be running according to settings whether the room is empty or occupied. So choose what works for you.
Baseboard Heater Thermostat FAQs
Why do smart thermostats require C-wire?
Wi-Fi smart thermostats generally require extra power that may not be supplied by batteries.
To ensure that one runs, therefore, it is connected to a C-wire which provides about 24V.
How much can you save using a smart thermostat?
Energy Star programs claim that you can up to $ 180 per year with a smart thermostat.
However, this will largely depend on your heating and cooling requirements. With the right thermostat, it is undeniable that you will save a lot on energy bills.
Conclusion
When you want to keep your home at the right temperature and also save on energy bills with your baseboard heater, you must have the right thermostat.
Your purchasing will be guided by whether you want a programmable or non-programmable that will work with your 2/4-line heater. The products reviewed above have been tried, tested, and approved to deliver beyond satisfactorily.