Thermometer vs Thermostat

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Thermomètre vs thermostat

In Europe, temperatures are falling and energy needs, particularly in terms of heating, are increasing. According to the new report of the International Energy Agency (IEA) published on December 12, 2022 , we are already experiencing the prologue to the energy crisis this winter, which risks threatening the survival of European industry and increasing the pressure on households in the years to come. It is clear that if the professional or domestic thermometer is a necessary measuring instrument in many trades, it is essential today, like its cousin the programmable thermostat . Yes, because measuring the temperature is good, regulating the temperature is better!

The experts at Thermometre.fr answer your most frequently asked questions about the difference between the thermometer and the thermostat , the impact of temperature control on health and in terms of energy savings, whether in the office, in factory, outdoors or at home.

Thermometer vs thermostat, what are the differences?

If we go back to the classic definitions of a thermometer and a thermostat , this is what we can find:

  1. Thermometer, noun : Instrument for measuring temperatures , generally through the expansion of a liquid or gas (mercury thermometer, helium).
  2. Thermostat, male noun : Apparatus which allows a constant temperature to be obtained in a closed enclosure (thermostat oven).

As the French leader in temperature sensors, Thermometre.fr gives you its own, more precise definitions:

  1. Thermometer, noun : The thermometer is an instrument for measuring and reading temperature. The temperature measurement and its accuracy, in degrees Celsius or in Fahrenheit, is done via two essential components. Namely a temperature sensor in which a change occurs and a tool for converting this change into a numerical value. The thermometer is used in technology and industry. In order to monitor processes, in meteorology, in the food industry, in medicine and in scientific research. Its use can also be domestic, in particular to check body temperature.
  2. Thermostat, noun : The thermostat is a control tool and a temperature regulator. Its function is to maintain a predefined interior temperature; on the one hand, it measures, via a thermometer, the temperature of a room or surface and then regulates its environment to a pre-programmed set temperature.

The main difference between a thermometer and a thermostat lies in the fact that if the environment acts on the thermometer, conversely, it is the thermostat which acts on its environment.

Thermostat, health and energy

The thermostat in your business 🏢

If you are the manager of your own company, you know that you are responsible for the health of your employees and/or the people you receive in your establishments. This is why it is essential to be well equipped to create a safe environment for vulnerable people whose health is fragile, in nursing homes or hospitals for example.

In addition, and although there is currently no law on temperatures in the workplace, it is necessary for the Quality of Life at Work of your employees to maintain an ambient temperature of at least 16°C. in offices (the ideal being 20°C). For people working on production lines for example, or any other person with physical activity, the recommended minimum temperature is 13°C .

To do this, we recommend that you equip your premises with a room thermometer . Ideally we recommend a digital thermometer (wireless or probe) and which works in wifi with analog display of several data: the outside temperature , the inside temperature and also displaying a clock in order to establish a daily program on your thermostat to regulate the temperature of all the rooms in your business.

The thermostat in your home 🏡

Of course the thermostat is also very useful at home, whether to keep the rooms at the right temperature depending on the time of day (20°C during the day and 18°C ​​at night), but also to maintain a low humidity for example. Indeed, the temperature of the baby's room will not be the same as that of your laundry room.

A few more tips:

If you are equipped with a boiler, you can also install a thermostatic mixing valve which acts on the flow rates according to a desired temperature.

If you have an indoor aquarium, your probe thermometer can also help you keep the water at the right temperature.

There are room thermometers for less than €5.00 including tax that you can hang in the different rooms of the house to control the temperature.

Other types of thermometers

To go further to know all the different types of thermometers that exist, our temperature sensor advisers have looked into a whole host of subjects that might interest you. Do not hesitate to look at the different types of thermometers on the Mag' de Thermomètre.fr: