If you’re one of those homeowners who seeks perfection in your wall decor and feel your comfort system’s thermostat is messing up your “Feng Shui,” you may be tempted to cover your temperature-control unit up with something more appealing to the eye.

That’s cool and all – no pun intended – but it would also be a big mistake. Even if your thermostat is an eyesore to you, it’s not wise to cover it up. Here’s why.

So, what’s the problem?

Good question! Covering your thermostat with a painting or other decor might sound like a brilliant idea to improve your wall’s appeal. Unfortunately, covering your thermostat keeps it from accurately reading the temperature of your living space. That’s because the obstruction could cause the thermostat to read the area it’s in to be warmer or cooler than it actually is.

Beat the heat

We caution against placing heat-generating items such as lamps and televisions near your thermostat for a reason. The heat these objects produce can cause your thermostat to misread your home’s temperature. For the same reason, placing any object over your thermostat can skew its readings as well. If your thermostat is reading the ambient temperature inaccurately, it won’t work the way it needs to provide the proper comfort level for your home. Covering your thermostat may also ruin its efficiency, which leads to higher energy bills – and nobody wants that. It could even fool you into thinking your system has a problem!

If you just can’t stand it

Let’s say you still want to hide your thermostat because it’s too much of an eyesore, and you just won’t have it any other way. OK. But, you should be smart about it and don’t interfere with its operation. Instead of covering your thermostat up, why not disguise or conceal it? Try putting a decorative frame around your thermostat that blends in well with the rest of your decor. That way, the frame will make the thermostat look like part of the scenery and not an ugly device interrupting the design flow.

Or buy a better-looking unit

Can’t stand your thermostat’s looks at all? Not even when beautifying it with a frame? Here’s an idea: go buy a new one! Thermostats have evolved in recent years, and there are some very attractive-looking high-tech smart models out there you can buy to replace your that old, unattractive unit. So, if you don’t like the look of the one you have now, consider replacing it with something (again, no pun intended) cooler!