why do digital thermostats have both heat and cool settings, as opposed to a singular temperature control

Question

(e.g why does 70 degrees on “cool” feel colder than 70 degrees on “heat”)?

In: Technology

Answer 1

There are two interesting parts to this answer. The first is covered by most of the other comments, in that it would be impractical to maintain the temperature at exactly one degree (e.g. 70). Instead it makes more sense to have a cool setting – “keep it at least as cool as 70 degrees”, and hot setting – “keep it at least as warm as 70 degrees”, to allow a little wiggle room.

The other portion not covered in the other comments (at least so far) is that how cold or hot it feels is based on more than just the absolute temperature. Other interesting factors include things like direct sunlight, air flow, humidity, and air pressure. Besides the seasonal differences you may have for these that make you feel like 70 in the winter feels different than 70 in the summer, AC also serves as a dehumidifier, contributing to an AC induced 70 feeling different than a heat induced 70.