I am going to install some NEST thermostats. The directions say that I should turn the system off by turning off the power to it. However, I'm worried that an abrupt power cut will be damaging. Do I just shut off power to it, or do I need to do some sort of "soft" shutdown procedure to bring it down and back up?
What labels should I look for in the circuit breaker panel to turn the unit off? I see water heater and the like, but didn't see a label for "central heat".
Best Answer
Very few HVAC systems aren't able to handle abrupt power loss. I've flipped the switches on dozens of systems hundreds of times to change filters and perform other service. The gas valve will close and the control boards have algorithms to recover.
It may feel nicer to shut them down gently, but there's no good reason to worry about it. After all, power does fail at times, and when have you heard of an HVAC disaster as a result?