Smart thermostats are gaining in popularity as more and more homeowners seek out ways to cut down on their energy costs. These devices can be programmed to automatically regulate the temperature in your home according to your weekly schedule. They also have the ability to memorize your preferences over time. As a result, you can cut costs on your energy bills by ensuring that your comfort system is only running when you need it.
Google’s smart thermostat is the Nest, and lots of homeowners are content with its features and overall efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–may be making trouble instead of helping your HVAC system. Consistent issues are forcing homeowners to find out how to shut off this feature. We’ll review the trouble some people are having with Seasonal Savings and offer instructions for how to opt out of the setting.
Many Homeowners Argue the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Well
Google designed the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners boost their energy efficiency. Around peak HVAC use in the summer and winter, it will automatically adjust the thermostat to match your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is designed to run without interrupting your sense of comfort, making the biggest changes when you’re away or in bed. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many people participating in the program.
Instead, there are claims that the program is sporadic and irritating to use. Homeowners are noticing that the program is actually increasing their energy bills instead of lowering them. And when they try to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve found the option to do so is hard to find or just missing. In various cases people have even noted it being flipped back on after it was disabled.
Smart thermostats are intended to boost the efficiency of your heating and cooling. While automatic temperature adjustments are a common feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t bypass your preferred settings. If the Nest refuses to accommodate your comfort preferences, disabling the Seasonal Savings feature is the right move.
But First, Why Is This A Problem?
Homeowners are claiming that the Seasonal Savings setting was running on their Nest thermostat without their permission. Why would a smart thermostat you command neglect your settings and opt in for the program? It could be because of an energy-efficiency program you registered for with your utility company.
These agreements help you improve your home’s energy efficiency. They may include rebates on new accessories or special discounts for renewable energy products. But lots of people are shocked to learn they also grant your utility company remote access to the thermostat. If the power grid is under a heavy load, the utility company can override your thermostat and adjust the temperature. You might be having problems with the Seasonal Savings program because a utility company is taking advantage of this remote access.
But what if the setting is faulty or just disregarding your preferences? Whatever the reason is, you don’t want a feature to double your energy use without your permission. We’ll walk you through how other people have shut off the Seasonal Savings program.
How to Disable Your Nest Thermostat’s Seasonal Savings Feature
A number of people have disclosed trouble opting out of the Seasonal Savings feature. While the location of this setting could be different depending on your specific Nest model, other users are worried that Google is deliberately making it more difficult to turn off Seasonal Savings. To ensure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll describe the ways other users have enjoyed success.
- Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually setting the temperature should outrank the Seasonal Savings program, but numerous users have noticed this isn’t entirely accurate. If you see your Nest repeatedly ignoring your changes, you’ll probably prefer to shut off the feature entirely.
- Opting out of the feature from the Nest app: Your phone or tablet’s Nest app should have a History option and a Settings option. Google points users to their History to turn off Seasonal Savings, but other users have located this option within Settings. Once disabled, the feature is temporarily off until the following summer or winter.
- Disabling the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also feature a History option where you can opt out of Seasonal Savings, but many homeowners report the disable option is not there.
- Opting out before the program starts: The Seasonal Savings program is only accessible in summer and winter. Your smart device should get a notification when the program is about to start, offering you the opportunity to opt out.
When Seasonal Savings is on, your Nest should display a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If the Nest is having issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is missing, your trouble might be with another setting entirely.
Sometimes the Problem Isn’t Seasonal Savings but Another Setting or Program
Alternative features on Nest smart thermostats besides Seasonal Savings can result in unwanted temperature changes. If these features are active during Seasonal Savings, even disabling the program may not stop the thermostat from making adjustments. Luckily, these settings can be switched off. You’ll also have options if the problem is a third party like your power company.
- Switching off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both offer the Auto-Schedule feature, using their ability to understand your preferences to establish the perfect schedule. Going into Settings and switching off Auto-Schedule should prevent other automatic adjustments such as Seasonal Savings.
- Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats will still swap to eco temperatures if you use an auto-switching function like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These settings automatically control the temperature when the thermostat thinks that no one is home.
- Negating the utility company’s energy agreement: Considering your energy provider may be remotely controlling a Nest thermostat, opting out of the agreement should get rid of remote access. You can locate the full details of these agreements from your energy provider.
- Calling Google support: If all else fails, reaching out to Google’s technical support could be of assistance. Staff can guide you to resetting the Nest or locating the appropriate setting to shut off Seasonal Savings.
If the Problem Persists, Your Thermostat Might Be Malfunctioning
There’s always the risk the Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical damage or software glitches can result in all kinds of problems, including an obnoxious Seasonal Savings program. If you think the problem is isolated to your own thermostat, a seasoned technician will be able to help. After all, smart thermostats are still a valuable investment for your home’s energy efficiency.
If you’d like local service for your smart thermostat in Waukegan, get in touch with the HVAC specialists at Robinson Service Experts . They can help you find out the easiest way to switch off a stubborn Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.