Have you ever wondered how the thermostats in your house work? Inside your thermostat is a small glass vial filled with mercury. This is attached to a metal coil that expands when the heat the rises and contracts when it gets cooler. The mercury moves back and forth as a result of the change in the temperature, causing your boiler to turn on and off. To insure this works properly, always level the mounting plate when installing.

Replacing your home's mercury thermostat with a programmable unit will rid the home of dangerous mercury and help save on heating and cooling costs.

Electrician Brad Owens installs an accessible Honeywell thermostat with Bob. Termed an "Easy Read" thermostat, the device has large lettering and pronounced clicks when dialed.