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you read instructions first, then decide if it's something you can or cannot do by yourself!!! very nice!! yes, youtube videos can be really helpful!Good luck with installing your new thermostat! Like you, I also read instructions first then decide if it's something I can or cannot do by myself. I have found youtube more helpful in some instances. As far as attempting any electrical work I have to honestly admit I call my neighbor who is an electrician. Please keep us posted when you finish installing your thermostat, fingers crossed it goes smoothly.
that's great that your neighbor is an electrician!
thank you! i got the thermostat installed yesterday. no problems with installing the thermostat itself; there was some complication because behind the drywall in my living room is the plaster and lath wall. i hadn't ever thought about that possibility, though the second floor walls are plaster and lath. so i made a trip over to the local hardware store (about a 3 minute walk from my house), and talked with the owner about this. the solution was a carbide tipped drill bit, to get through the plaster and lath. i learned that regular drill bits aren't able to get through plaster and lath. the two plastic wall anchors that correspond to the two screws that attach the thermostat plate to the wall needed new ones too, as i'd damaged them -- they hit the lath and just bent. after that, i completed the installation. the other problem i had was one i knew i'd have, that i don't see very small/fine things well any longer. i had a magnifying glass and a flashlight to deal with that. those thermostat screws and the screws that needed loosening and then tightening for it's wires were just tiny, very hard to see the heads of the screws to use the tiny (think: glasses repairs sized) screwdrivers. i had also paused before disconnecting the old thermostat and called the Honeywell help line, to make sure one last time that the new thermostat was compatible with my two-wire system -- it was compatible. many thermostats are compatible with systems with different numbers of wires, though not all of them are -- my new thermostat was compatible with both 2 and 4 wire systems. while talking with the Honeywell dude, he mentioned that after completing the installation and the furnace is turned back on, to set it all the way down to the lowest temp (in heat mode) and let it sit like that for about 20 minutes -- he said it needs to 'recharge', via the furnace. that piece of info was not in the installation instructions. so i did that, then turned the temp way up to 80 to make sure the thermostat was functioning properly. no problem, it runs fine. so happy and joy, i saved some money by doing that myself!
you know, i think it's almost always the case that there is some complication or another when doing these types of things.