Before You Upgrade Your Thermostat this Summer, Read This

Posted July 14, 2026

It’s summertime, and if you’re relaxing on the porch sipping an iced tea, we thought it was a good timeto share some interesting facts about thermostats. And if you find yourself chatting with a customer about upgrading their thermostat, we’ve provided some funfacts that you can share, which will help you with the education process of why it’s important to recycle mercury- containing thermostats.

The interesting thermostat facts we’ve uncovered include:

History & Invention

Warren Johnson / 1883: Warren Johnson was granted his first patent on July 24, 1883, for the “electric tele-thermoscope,” an electric room thermostat. The impetus behind Johnson’s invention was not fortune or fame, but peace and quiet — a janitor’s hourly classroom visits to check temperatures prompted him to find a better solution. Source: The Warren Johnson Society (wsjsociety.com)
Honeywell T87 / 1953: The Round thermostat, designed by engineer Carl Kronmiller and industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss, was introduced in 1953 by the company then known as Minneapolis-Honeywell. It became both a sales mainstay and a world-renowned piece of industrial art. Source: MNopedia / Minnesota Historical Society (mnhs.org)

Mercury & Old Technology

Mercury phase-out: Between 2004 and 2007, manufacturers halted production of mercury thermostats. Source: Thermostat Recycling Corporation (thermostat-recycle.org)
TRC collections milestone: The Thermostat Recycling Corporation, established in 1998, is a nonprofit organization supported by 29 manufacturers that historically sold mercury thermostats in the United States. TRC operates more than 3,600 collection sites nationwide and has recovered more than3 million thermostats since its inception. The organization covers all costs associated with the safe transport and disposal of mercury-switch thermostats.

Smart Thermostats & Energy

Heating/cooling share of energy bills: For the average American household, almost half of the annual energy bill goes to heating and cooling — that’s more than $900 a year. Source: EPA ENERGY STAR (energystar.gov)
Setback savings: You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7 to 10°F for eighthours a day from its normal setting. Source: U.S. Department of Energy (energy.gov)
Smart thermostat savings (Nest data): According to two independent studies of actual Nest customers, smart thermostats can save 10 to12% on heating and 15% on cooling on average. Source: What is Smart Energy? (whatissmartenergy.org)

A Part of History

A museum piece? There are thermostat-related objects in major museum collections, such as the Smithsonian’s Honeywell Round thermostat in the National Museum of American History, and the Science Museum group’s thermostat collection includes historic examples as well. (ASHRAE)