A thermostat that understands slow, steady heat
Controls for boilers, radiant floors, and zoned hydronic loops.
Most retail smart thermostats are built for forced-air furnaces. On a boiler or a radiant floor they overshoot, short-cycle, or never quite catch up. We match the control to the hydronic system you have, set the zones, and walk you through the app before we leave. Booked on a 3-hour appointment window.
The control has to match the heat, not the ad
Radiant is slow. Boilers modulate. Zone valves take time to open. A thermostat that expects a furnace blast will fight that system all winter. We pick hardware that is actually listed for hydronic use.
- Why a furnace thermostat fails on radiant
- What we actually install
- Zoning that holds a room
- App access without giving up the boiler
- Utah swing from day to night
- What we will not do
Why a furnace thermostat fails on radiant
Forced air dumps heat fast and then stops. Radiant keeps moving heat into a slab for a long time after the call ends. A control that does not account for that lag will overshoot the setpoint and then leave the floor cold while it waits. That feels like ‘the heat does not work.’
What we actually install
Hydronic-rated smart thermostats, zone controls, and outdoor reset where the boiler can use it. We are matching a control to the valves and the boiler you have, not forcing a popular wall unit onto a system it cannot run.
Zoning that holds a room
Each zone needs its own brain if the rooms do not share a load. A south glass room and a north basement should not share one setpoint. We map that before we pull wire.
App access without giving up the boiler
Remote schedules are useful. They are not a substitute for a correctly piped loop. We will not promise lower gas bills from an app if the mixing valve is wrong or the boiler is oversized.
Utah swing from day to night
Wasatch Front days can be mild and nights bitter. Outdoor reset and the right differentials keep the boiler from hammering on and off. That is setup work, not a default menu.
What we will not do
We will not install a forced-air-only thermostat on a radiant manifold and call it an upgrade. If the honest answer is a simpler non-wifi control that actually fits, we will say that.
Set it to the system, then hand you the phone
A control that is wired and never configured is just a clock on the wall. We set schedules, lockouts, and zone names so you are not guessing which upstairs switch is the basement slab.
Explore More Rare Breed Services:
Boiler Repair
When the control is fine and the zone valve, pump, or ignition is the actual fault.
Boiler Installation
A new boiler with controls that match it from day one, including outdoor reset where it belongs.
Emergency Services
When the control is fine and the house is still cold, that is a boiler call, not an app setting.
Boiler Maintenance & Tune-Up
A yearly combustion and control check so the smart schedule is driving a boiler that still burns clean.
Winter Plumbing Myths in Utah: What You Need to Know About Your Boiler
The setpoint tricks that look clever and then short-cycle a modulating boiler.
System Protection
The loop chemistry and feeders that matter more than the app icon on your phone.
Can I reuse the smart thermostat I already bought?
Only if it is rated for the type of hydronic system you have and the wiring is there. A lot of popular models are heat-pump or furnace only. Bring the model number.
Will this lower my gas bill?
It can, if the old control was fighting the system. It cannot fix an oversized boiler or a loop full of air. We say that before we sell a wall unit.
Do you set up the app?
Yes. We leave with the zones named and a schedule you can change. If wifi is weak in the mechanical room, we say so instead of blaming the thermostat later.
Is this the same as a cooling smart thermostat?
No. Cooling pages cover forced-air and heat-pump controls. This page is boilers and radiant. The hardware is not interchangeable just because both have an app.
3-Hour
Appointment Window
Certified
Experts in System Performance
We Call It A STEPP.
Our Customers Just Call It Different.
Long before we pick up a tool, we pick up the phone. You call. We listen. Every job is measured against six standards: Accountability, Safety, Trust, Excellence, Progress, and Positivity. Here is what that looks like from your side of the door.
Accountability
We Own the Outcome.
If it is ours to do, we do it well. If it is ours to fix, we make it right. No blame, no corner-cutting, no excuses. That is how trust gets built, one job at a time.
Safety
No Shortcuts. Ever.
Safety sits at the heart of every decision we make. Every job we do keeps your family safe, your home protected, and our crew going home in one piece.
Trust
Earned by Showing Up.
It is rare to find a contractor you can trust completely, with your home, your family, and your friends. We earn it through actions, not promises, every single visit.
Excellence
Good Enough Is Never Good Enough.
We do the job right the first time, every time. The highest standard of skill and craftsmanship is the minimum standard here.
Progress & Positivity
Better Every Job. Positive at Every Door.
Complacency is the enemy of greatness, so we train, learn, and evolve every week. And we do it with optimism, turning problems into opportunities and lifting the people around us. You will feel it at the door.
The Kind of Service People Talk About.
We built Rare Breed to feel different, and it turns out, people noticed. These are their words. Their stories. What it’s like to be cared for by a team that shows up with purpose, listens with respect, and follows through with heart. The kind of experience that stays with you, long after the work is done.