Remember the round one? Times have changed at heating and cooling companies!

I’ve been in the heating and cooling business for decades. That means I have some great memories of how things were. Years ago, Honeywell cornered the market with their thermostats. They called it the “round one.” It was in more homes than any other thermostat in the world. As a matter of fact, if you watch closely, most television shows and movies have the Honeywell Round One in the background. Honeywell gets more free advertising through natural product placement than any other company I know.

Times are changing. Honeywell’s monopoly in the market has shifted. If you’re in need of a new thermostat to control your air conditioning this spring—read on. Options are limitless.

Now we have different shapes, sizes, colors, features and benefits. Some thermostats even operate as mini computers with apps. Change the temperature in your home right from your iPhone, Android phone or desktop.  There’s even one thermostat that calls you on your cell phone if the temperature in your home changes, alerting you to a problem. Crazy!

One positive change in all of these changes is the elimination of mercury. Yep, that the liquid we used to play with on the floor or on table tops for hours when I was a kid. It’s now a hazardous material and must be professionally collected at sites that produce a sizable amount of the stuff. Every thermostat we find that is still full of mercury is reported and picked up by “authorized” personal, who then dispose it responsibly. As an Indianapolis AC company, we still see these old thermostats since we work with Broad Ripple and Meridian Kessler homeowners. And to think I played with mercury as a kid!?

If you still have a hankering for a throw-back to the old Honeywell Round One, you’re in luck. Honeywell is now making a digital round thermostat. It’s mercury free.  

As always, if you are shopping around and have questions—just ask. We’re here to help homeowners make the right decisions for their home and lifestyle.