Smart thermostats are growing in popularity as more and more homeowners search for ways to scale back their energy expenses. These devices can be programmed to conveniently regulate the temperature in your home in line with your regular schedule. They also have the capacity to study any preferences over time. As a result, you can make big savings on your energy bills by seeing to it that your HVAC system is only on when you need it.
Google’s smart thermostat is the Nest, and numerous homeowners are satisfied with its features and all-around efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–is causing trouble rather than assisting your HVAC system. Constant issues are forcing homeowners to look for how to switch off this feature. We’ll share the problems some people are having with Seasonal Savings and include instructions for how to opt out of the setting.
Many Homeowners Claim the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Correctly
Google built the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners increase their energy efficiency. Around maximum HVAC use in the summer and winter, it is supposed to automatically adjust the thermostat to balance your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is designed to run without getting in the way of your sense of comfort, making the biggest changes when you’re away or sleeping. Sadly, this isn’t the case for numerous people taking part in the program.
Instead, there are reports that the program is inconsistent and annoying to use. Homeowners are concerned that the program is actually increasing their energy bills instead of reducing them. And when they decide to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve found the option to do so is tough to find or entirely missing. In several cases people have even noticed it being flipped back on after it was disabled.
Smart thermostats are meant to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. While automatic temperature changes are a popular feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t override your desired settings. If the Nest won’t work with your comfort preferences, disabling the Seasonal Savings feature is the correct move.
But First, Why Is This Going On?
Homeowners are noticing that the Seasonal Savings program was running on their Nest thermostat without their consent. Why should a smart thermostat you control brush off your settings and enroll in the program? It may be because of an energy-efficiency program you registered for with the utility company.
These agreements help you raise your home’s energy efficiency. They can include rebates on new accessories or special promotions for renewable energy products. But numerous people are shocked to learn they also allow your utility company remote access to your thermostat. If the power grid is struggling with a heavy load, the utility company can override your thermostat and adjust the temperature. You may well be having problems with the Seasonal Savings program due to the fact that a utility company is taking advantage of this remote access.
But what if the setting is malfunctioning or just dismissing your preferences? Whatever the reason could be, you don’t want a feature to double your energy use without your consent. We’ll walk you through how other homeowners have switched off the Seasonal Savings program.
How to Disable Your Nest Thermostat’s Seasonal Savings Feature
A number of people have documented trouble disabling the Seasonal Savings feature. While the location of this setting might be different based on your specific Nest model, other users are concerned that Google is deliberately making it more difficult to disable Seasonal Savings. To make sure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll include the ways other users have had success.
- Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually changing the temperature should supersede the Seasonal Savings program, but numerous users have discovered this isn’t entirely accurate. If you notice your Nest consistently reversing your changes, you’ll probably opt to turn off the feature completely.
- Disabling the program 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 shut off Seasonal Savings, but other users have discovered this option in Settings. Once disabled, the program is temporarily off until the subsequent summer or winter.
- Disabling the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also possess a History option where you can disable Seasonal Savings, but some homeowners report the disable option is absent.
- Opting out before the program begins: The Seasonal Savings program is only obtainable around summer and winter. Your smart device will get a notification when the program is about to start, giving you the opportunity to opt out.
When Seasonal Savings is live, your Nest will display a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If the Nest is experiencing issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is not visible, your issue could be with another setting entirely.
Sometimes the Source Isn’t Seasonal Savings but Another Setting or Program
Different features on Nest smart thermostats apart from Seasonal Savings can result in unwanted temperature changes. If these features are active during Seasonal Savings, even disabling the program may not prevent 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 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 learn your preferences to establish the perfect schedule. Going into Settings and switching off Auto-Schedule should prevent other automatic controls like Seasonal Savings.
- Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats will still flip to eco temperatures if you use an auto-switching setting like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These settings automatically regulate the temperature when the thermostat thinks that no one is home.
- Leaving the utility company’s energy agreement: Considering your energy provider might be remotely controlling a Nest thermostat, opting out of the agreement should take away remote access. You can find the full details of these agreements with your energy provider.
- Calling Google support: If all else fails, calling Google’s technical support might be of help. Staff can lead you to resetting the Nest or finding the appropriate setting to switch off Seasonal Savings.
If the Problem Persists, Your Thermostat Might Be Defective
There’s always the risk a Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical issues or software glitches can trigger all sorts of trouble, including an obnoxious Seasonal Savings program. If you suspect the problem is isolated to your personal thermostat, an experienced technician might be able to help. After all, smart thermostats are still a beneficial investment for your home’s energy efficiency.
If you’d like local support for your smart thermostat in Saint Charles, call the heating and cooling professionals at Golden Seal Service Experts. They can help you figure out the best way to shut off an uncooperative Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.