Wireless thermostat a reliable option for replacing a wired thermostat?

We have a four-story row house, with a triplex over a floor-through rental. During a recent renovation of our cellar the contractor cut the line between the boiler and the thermostat, which is located on the parlor floor of our unit (two floors above the cellar where the boiler is). The electrician can’t find the old line.

Running a new line would be a pain and likely require busting out the wall in the tenant’s unit. Our plumber recommended a wireless thermostat, but the electrician was dubious and claims there’s nothing like the reliability of a wired thermostat. We would likely need a Wi-Fi booster to get the signal to the cellar.

Has anyone had experience with a wireless thermostat going between two floors of an old (1880) row house (stucco over brick)? Are they reliable?

Thank you!

ixmfrteyhywobz

in General Discussion 1 year and 6 months ago

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lkrshacmzcy | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Roger is awesome!!

lkrshacmzcy | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Roger is awesome!!

ixmfrteyhywobz | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Thanks everyone for responding. We got a great electrician (Roger De) who was able to run the line with a minimum of disruption.

lkrshacmzcy | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Fishing a line should not require breaking a ton of walls but everything in Brooklyn i s unique.

lkrshacmzcy | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Fishing a line should not require breaking a ton of walls but everything in Brooklyn i s unique.

Guest User | 1 year and 6 months ago

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I have installed a few Honeywell redlink thermostats which have at least a three floor capability …. however, they required a redlink router to be installed as well…. the parts add up and the more complex the system, the more points of possible failure are introduced.. I’m a fan of simple, low maintenance systems that don’t degrade over time

chipito | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Like @lmiller said above, the Ecobee sensors use a lower frequency (915 MHz) than wifi that has a better reach (and let them last about a year on their CR2032 battery). Maybe the Honeywell sensors are similar?

housepoor | 1 year and 6 months ago

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I have been using a Honeywell (now called Resideo) Wi-Fi thermostat for 2 years and can recommend it. I have 3 remote sensors – each in a tenant’s apartment – that are 3 floors away from the thermostat. It connects to my Wi-Fi router (which is one floor above the thermostat and two floors below the sensors). I can choose individual or multiple sensors (it averages) to trigger the system. I think the issue will be if your Wi-fi router signal reaches where you put the sensors.

chipito | 1 year and 6 months ago

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We’ve been running an Ecobee 3 on our garden floor for 6 years with sensors on the front and back of each of the 3 floors above. Since our top floor is the coldest, we have the thermostat set to only look at the temps on that floor. So in my experience the sensors work over the distance of 3 floors and the whole system works great. These are the older sensors so IDK if the newer ones have less range. They are cross-compatible, though, so I assume are similar. Our heat is with an old gas boiler and steam radiators. Our wifi is an older eero mesh system with a unit on each floor.

Guest User | 1 year and 6 months ago

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I’ve installed ecobees in brownstones and pretty much the remote sensor is limited to two floors from the thermostat. I personally would not want to depend on a wireless link controlling a boiler. Too many paths to the system failing midwinter… bite the bullet and run a new line. BTW has your electrician tried using a toner to locate the broken line?

brooklyndempsey | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Ecobee thermostats have an optional wireless remote sensor. You can program the thermostat to only use the remote sensor and ignore the onboard temperature, which would accomplish what you are trying to do.
In my 1890s brownstone the sensors will reliably reach from the front-most room to the rear extension, including a structural wall—so the range is pretty good. I haven’t tried to cross floors. The sensor is lower frequency than wifi so it has good penetration through walls but you’d obviously need to verify if it works in your situation.