Smart thermostats are increasing in popularity as more and more homeowners seek out ways to lower their energy costs. These accessories can be programmed to efficiently maintain the temperature of your home in line with your weekly schedule. They also have the means to study your preferences over time. For this reason, you can save money on your energy bills by making sure that your comfort system is only running when you need it.
Google’s smart thermostat is the Nest, and numerous homeowners are satisfied with its features and general efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–could be stirring up trouble rather than supporting your HVAC system. Frequent issues are pushing homeowners to research how to switch off this feature. We’ll review the problems some people are having with Seasonal Savings and provide instructions for how to opt out of the program.
Many Homeowners Claim the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Correctly
Google designed the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners boost their energy efficiency. During maximum HVAC use in the summer and winter, it should automatically adjust the thermostat to satisfy your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is supposed to run without getting in the way of your sense of comfort, setting up the biggest changes when you’re away or asleep. However, this isn’t the case for lots of people enrolled in the program.
In fact, there are claims that the program is contradictory and annoying to use. Homeowners are noticing that the program is really increasing their energy bills instead of reducing them. And when they try to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve noticed the option to do so is tough to find or entirely missing. In some cases people have even discovered it being flipped back on after it was disabled.
Smart thermostats are meant to improve the efficiency of your HVAC equipment. While automatic temperature adjustments are a popular feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t override your preferred settings. If a Nest won’t work with your comfort preferences, disabling the Seasonal Savings program is the correct move.
But First, Why Is This A Problem?
Homeowners are concerned that the Seasonal Savings setting was started on their Nest thermostat without their consent. Why can a smart thermostat you operate dismiss your settings and opt in for the program? It could be because of an energy-efficiency program you subscribed to with the utility company.
These agreements help you improve your home’s energy efficiency. They will sometimes offer rebates on new equipment or special discounts for renewable energy systems. But most people are shocked to find out they also permit your utility company remote access to the thermostat. If the power grid is struggling with a heavy load, the utility company can take over your thermostat and raise the temperature. You could be having trouble with the Seasonal Savings program due to the fact that a utility company is making use of this remote access.
But what if the feature is malfunctioning or just ignoring your preferences? Whatever the reason might be, you don’t want a feature to increase your energy use without your permission. We’ll review how other people have switched off the Seasonal Savings program.
How to Disable Your Nest Thermostat’s Seasonal Savings Feature
A number of people have documented trouble shutting off the Seasonal Savings feature. While the location of this setting could be different according to your specific Nest model, other users are alarmed that Google is deliberately making it more difficult to turn off Seasonal Savings. To make sure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll describe the ways other users have had success.
- Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually adjusting the temperature should overrule the Seasonal Savings program, but quite a few users have found this isn’t entirely accurate. If you notice your Nest repeatedly ignoring your changes, you’ll probably prefer to turn off the feature outright.
- Disabling the setting from the Nest app: Your phone or tablet’s Nest app is supposed to have a History option and a Settings option. Google directs users to their History to switch off Seasonal Savings, but other homeowners have located this option under Settings. Once disabled, the feature is temporarily off until the following summer or winter.
- Stopping the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also have a History option where you can turn off Seasonal Savings, but some homeowners claim the disable option is absent.
- Opting out before the program starts: The Seasonal Savings program is only available in summer and winter. Your smart device is supposed to receive a notification when the program is about to launch, offering you the time to opt out.
When Seasonal Savings is engaged, your Nest should display a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If your Nest is having issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is not visible, your problem might be with a different setting entirely.
Sometimes the Issue Isn’t Seasonal Savings but a Different Setting or Program
Alternative options on Nest smart thermostats aside from Seasonal Savings can result in unwanted temperature changes. If these options are active during Seasonal Savings, even opting out of the program may not stop the thermostat from making adjustments. Fortunately, these settings can be switched off. You’ll also have options if the problem is a third party like a power company.
- Switching off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both offer the Auto-Schedule feature, using their capability to learn your preferences to set the ideal schedule. Going into Settings and shutting off Auto-Schedule should stop other automatic controls including Seasonal Savings.
- Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats might still flip to eco temperatures if you possess an auto-switching function like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These settings automatically regulate the temperature when the thermostat detects that the house is empty.
- Negating the utility company’s energy agreement: Because your energy provider may be remotely controlling your Nest thermostat, opting out of the agreement should take away their access. You can find the full details of these agreements with your energy provider.
- Calling Google support: If all else fails, contacting Google’s technical support may be of service. Staff can lead you to resetting the Nest or finding the proper setting to shut off Seasonal Savings.
If the Problem Persists, Your Thermostat May Be Faulty
There’s always the possibility a Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical problems or software glitches can trigger all types of trouble, including an obnoxious Seasonal Savings program. If you suspect the problem is isolated to your own thermostat, a seasoned technician might be able to help. After all, smart thermostats are still a worthwhile investment for your home’s energy efficiency.
If you prefer local assistance for your smart thermostat in Raleigh, get in touch with the heating and cooling specialists at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. They can help you find the best way to disable an uncooperative Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.