Installing a Programmable Thermostat – A Step by Step Guide

When you’re cleaning up, don’t throw away everything before you check your old thermostat for a small glass bulb filled with mercury, a silvery liquid. Mercury is a hazardous material that needs to be discarded properly -- not tossed in your garbage can. Most cities have a program that accepts hazardous materials like mercury, paint, lighter fluid and other wastes. You can find local programs online, in the telephone book, at Earth911.com or by calling your city or county waste management office. In the meantime, simply store your old thermostat with your old paint, and take them all to a local recycling facility that accepts hazardous waste.