Here at CABS, we’re often “equipment agnostic” both with home thermostats and other HVAC equipment. Stated differently, we believe that there isn’t a single product that’s the best for everyone, but that it depends on your needs and circumstances, and oftentimes a variety of equipment types will do the job well.

Contractors gravitate toward certain brands and models of equipment, though, and we’re no exception. We recently rolled out a free thermostat program for customers and utilize Honeywell thermostats to deliver home comfort to those in the program.

Free doesn’t mean “good,” and we don’t do anything that will compromise the quality of our customers’ home comfort. So let’s dive into these thermostats a bit to see why they’re a good fit for many homes, and why we’re proud to install them here at CABS.

Types of Home Thermostats

Thermostats are not all created equal. Without going into all the different brands, models and every single feature, here are some different levels of functionality you can expect from thermostats:

Temperature control (obviously)
Home/Work/Sleep scheduling for automated changes to temperature settings
Integration with a phone app for remote control over home comfort settings
Ability to read home humidity
Ability to control humidity-controlling products, such as ducted humidifiers and dehumidifiers
Multi-sensor capacity. This means they can read the temperature at different points in the home to ensure a more even temp throughout your home. Best for multi-story houses with tough-to-cool rooms.
Ability to adjust dynamically to outdoor temperatures to adjust system settings and power levels, to maintain optimal humidity and temperature levels.

Do all thermostats have all of these settings? Of course not. And do you need all of these features? Probably not. But many of them can be extremely convenient, and can help you save money and stay more comfortable.

Beyond these basic types, for the most sophisticated HVAC equipment, you’ll often see branded manufacturer thermostats that are specifically designed to work with the equipment you have in your home. Honeywell thermostats can work with a variety of manufacturer systems and are more of a “universal” brand for HVAC. That doesn’t mean they’ll work with every single system, but they work seamlessly with the majority of brands.

Honeywell Smart Thermostats

Honeywell thermostats are Energy-Star Certified. This is becoming a standard in the industry, one that is increasingly concerned with its environmental impact. While the environmental concern comes from the larger HVAC equipment, the controls needed to maintain this equipment are what allow your home to be heated and cooled efficiently.

“Smart” thermostats also come with many of the features listed above, but the other nice thing is that you can get a lot of them without a huge spend. The most sophisticated thermostats can be pricey. Getting what you need for a reasonable cost is often the better option.

Below, we discuss some specific features germane to some or all of the Honeywell FocusPRO line. The differences between them will relate to your needs as a homeowner and also the equipment you have in your home. More advanced air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces will require better thermostat technology to manage properly, while some homes will be perfectly content with the entry-level thermostat.

Features and Benefits

Here are a handful of features the Honeywell FocusPRO series has. When it’s only for certain models, we mention that in the description:

Change Filter Reminders

Get a notification when it’s time to change your filter. The #1 cause of premature breakdowns in HVAC equipment is running your equipment with a dirty or clogged filter, so this can be a godsend for the lifespan of your system.

Flexible Scheduling

Most models (not all) have programmable features, and you can get as broad or specific as you’d like. Want a different schedule for each day? That’s possible. Or do you just need one schedule for weekdays and another for weekends? You can skip having to program all seven days and use the weekday/weekend option.

Upgrade Capacity

Compatibility and upgrades can be problematic, because a better thermostat might require new electrical work from a licensed electrician. This is what can skyrocket pricing.

So the more basic Honeywell thermostats can later be upgraded easily to wifi, smart thermostats with additional features, either with no new electrical work or a single new wire. This makes a technician’s job easier and reduces the time and money required to upgrade.

Green, Eco-Friendly Design

Honeywell thermostats received the 2025 Sustainable Products of the Year award from Green Builder.

CABS Heating and Air Conditioning Free Thermostat for Life Program

Want all of this for free? No, really, we mean free.

The CABS Free Thermostats for Life program aims to do just that. We want to be your HVAC provider for the life of your home, and keeping you up-to-date on new technology and comfortable in your home is our top priority.

The process is simple:

Apply our CABS thermostat sticker to your home thermostat
Sign up on our website or with one of our staff
Contact us when your thermostat isn’t working, or when it’s time for an upgrade

For details, give us a call or fill out a form on our website to be contacted by one of our staff. We look forward to helping you upgrade your home and then maintaining it for years to come!

Honeywell Home FocusPRO Thermostat Series