Question about an old man at a flea market who warned me against digital thermostats

Last summer I was at a flea market outside Richmond buying an old mercury thermostat for 5 bucks. This older guy maybe 70 years old taps me on the shoulder and says "you're smart to get that one, the digital ones let the power company control your heat if they want to." He pointed at the simple dial and said "no wi-fi no spying just brass and mercury." He walked off before I could ask more. Has anyone else heard something like this or am I overthinking his warning?

2 comments

2 Comments

thompson.christopher25d ago

Well "no wi-fi no spying just brass and mercury" is definitely going on my next t-shirt, maybe right next to a picture of a tin foil hat. Look, I get the paranoia, I really do, but the idea that some random power company employee is sitting in a dark room scrolling through thousands of digital thermostats just waiting to crank up grandma's heat is honestly kind of hilarious. If they really wanted to spy on you, they'd probably just look through your Ring doorbell or your phone's microphone, not a $20 thermostat from Home Depot. Your mileage may vary, but I think that old timer was just feeling nostalgic for the good old days of lead paint and asbestos insulation.

wade_young8625d ago

Oh man, I bet that old timer's mercury thermostat is worth some real cash now lol. People collect those things like vintage radios and some of the old Honeywell ones go for like 50-100 bucks on eBay. Plus if the power goes out you're still stuck with whatever temperature your house is at, no override. Guess grandma would be cold either way just without the spy thriller plot attached haha.