On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:01:14 -0500, wrote:
On Wed, 9 Dec 2009 19:29:52 -0500, "RBM" wrote:


"Jim Sherman" wrote in message
news
I'm a snowbird and worry about a furnace failure while I'm away. I've
heard that there is a temperature sensing switch that will turn on a lamp
if the house gets too cold. I'd like to set a lamp in the front window so
my neighbor can check the place as he drives by without coming inside.
Does such a switch exist? Who sells it? Thanks in advance.
That's fine, unless a power failure is the cause of the freeze. Do a search
for "freeze alert" and you'll find several units, some with battery
backups, that call phone numbers if there is a power failure or the temp
goes to low

There used to be plug-in thermostats to control non-thermostat
controlled electric heaters. Don't know if or where they are available
today

I think it can be done with X10 although that would be a serious
mistake given X10 open loop structure. I personally wouldn't trust a
nightlight to X10.