Smart thermostats are increasing in popularity as more and more homeowners search for ways to lower their energy expenses. These systems can be programmed to automatically maintain the temperature at home in line with your daily schedule. They also have the capacity to learn any preferences over time. As a result, you can save money on your energy bills by making sure 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 overall efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–may be causing trouble instead of supporting your HVAC system. Constant issues are driving homeowners to find out how to shut off this feature. We’ll present 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 improve their energy efficiency. During maximum HVAC use in the summer and winter, it can automatically adjust the thermostat to match your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is designed to run without getting in the way of your sense of comfort, implementing the biggest changes when you’re away or asleep. Sadly, this isn’t the case for many people taking part in the program.
Alternatively, 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 reducing them. And when they attempt to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve found the way to do so is hard to find or just missing. In many cases people have even discovered it being turned back on after it was disabled.
Smart thermostats are designed to boost the efficiency of your HVAC system. While automatic temperature changes are a common feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t ignore your favored settings. If your Nest refuses to accommodate your comfort preferences, opting out of the Seasonal Savings program is the best move.
But First, Why Is This Going On?
Homeowners are complaining that the Seasonal Savings program was started on their Nest thermostat without their approval. Why should a smart thermostat you operate neglect your settings and opt in for the program? It may be because of an energy-efficiency agreement you subscribed to with the utility company.
These agreements help you raise your home’s energy efficiency. They can feature rebates on new equipment or special discounts for renewable energy equipment. But many people are surprised to hear they also permit your utility company remote access to your thermostat. If the power grid is under a heavy load, the utility company can take control of your thermostat and adjust the temperature. You may be having issues with the Seasonal Savings program because a utility company is using this remote access.
But what if the feature is defective or just dismissing your preferences? Whatever the reason might be, you don’t want a feature to double your energy use without your permission. We’ll take you step-by-step through how other users have shut off the Seasonal Savings program.
How to Disable Your Nest Thermostat’s Seasonal Savings Feature
A number of people have reported trouble shutting off the Seasonal Savings feature. While the location of this setting might be different depending on your specific Nest model, other users are nervous that Google is deliberately making it more difficult to disable Seasonal Savings. To ensure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll include the ways other users have found success.
- Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually adjusting the temperature should override the Seasonal Savings program, but many 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 completely.
- Opting out of the feature from the Nest app: Your phone or tablet’s Nest app ought to have a History option and a Settings option. Google points users to their History to shut off Seasonal Savings, but other people have found this option within Settings. Once disabled, the setting is temporarily off until the following summer or winter.
- Disabling the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also provide a History option where you can opt out of Seasonal Savings, but many homeowners claim the disable option is missing.
- Opting out before the program starts: The Seasonal Savings program is only obtainable around summer and winter. Your smart device will be sent a notification when the program is about to begin, offering you the chance to opt out.
When Seasonal Savings is engaged, your Nest will show a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If the Nest is struggling with issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is absent, your problem might be with another setting entirely.
Sometimes the Problem Isn’t Seasonal Savings but a Different Setting or Program
Different options on Nest smart thermostats aside from Seasonal Savings can cause counterintuitive temperature changes. If these settings are active during Seasonal Savings, even shutting off the program may not prevent the thermostat from making changes. Thankfully, these settings can be switched off. You’ll also have options if the headache is a third party like a power company.
- Switching off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both give you the Auto-Schedule feature, using their capability to study your preferences to define the best possible schedule. Going into Settings and shutting off Auto-Schedule should stop other automatic adjustments like Seasonal Savings.
- Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats can still flip to eco temperatures if you possess an auto-switching function like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These functions automatically regulate the temperature when the thermostat thinks that no one is home.
- Opting out of the utility company’s energy agreement: Since your energy provider may be remotely controlling your Nest thermostat, opting out of the agreement should take away their access. You can locate the complete details of these agreements with your energy provider.
- Calling Google support: If all else fails, contacting Google’s technical support might be of assistance. Staff can guide you to resetting the Nest or locating the appropriate setting to switch off Seasonal Savings.
If the Problem Persists, Your Thermostat May Be Defective
There’s always the chance the Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical damage or software glitches can result in all kinds of issues, including an obnoxious Seasonal Savings program. If you think the problem is isolated to your specific thermostat, an experienced technician may be able to help. After all, smart thermostats remain a worthwhile investment for your home’s energy efficiency.
If you need local service for your smart thermostat in Oklahoma City, contact the HVAC specialists at Gordon's Service Experts. They can help you determine the best way to disable an uncooperative Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.