Smart thermostats are growing in popularity as more and more homeowners search for ways to lower their energy bills. These accessories can be programmed to efficiently adjust the temperature inside your home according to your regular schedule. They also have the capability to memorize comfort preferences over time. As a result, you can make big savings 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 plenty of homeowners are content with its features and general efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–might be making trouble as opposed to helping your HVAC system. Frequent issues are driving homeowners to research how to disable this feature. We’ll review the issues some people are having with Seasonal Savings and provide instructions for how to opt out of the setting.
Many Homeowners Argue the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Correctly
Google developed the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners boost their energy efficiency. Around peak HVAC use in the summer and winter, it should automatically adjust the thermostat to match your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is supposed to run without getting in the way of your sense of comfort, making the biggest changes when you’re away or in bed. However, this isn’t the case for numerous people enrolled in the program.
In fact, there are reports that the program is contradictory and annoying to use. Homeowners are noticing that the program is actually increasing their energy bills instead of lowering them. And when they attempt to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve noticed the setting to do so is tough to find or downright absent. In various cases people have even discovered it being turned back on after it was disabled.
Smart thermostats are intended to enhance the efficiency of your HVAC equipment. While automatic temperature changes are a widespread feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t ignore your preferred settings. If a Nest isn't meeting your comfort preferences, shutting off the Seasonal Savings program is the best move.
But First, Why Is This A Problem?
Homeowners are complaining that the Seasonal Savings feature was activated on their Nest thermostat without their approval. Why can a smart thermostat you operate brush off your settings and enroll in the program? It could be because of an energy-efficiency program you subscribed to with the utility company.
These agreements help you boost your home’s energy efficiency. They will sometimes include rebates on new accessories or special promotions for renewable energy systems. But many people are surprised 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 adjust the temperature. You may 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 setting is defective or just dismissing your preferences? Whatever the reason might be, you don’t want a feature to increase your energy use without your consent. We’ll explain how other users have opted out of 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 may be different depending on your specific Nest model, other users are worried that Google is intentionally making it tougher to turn off Seasonal Savings. To ensure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll list the ways other users have found success.
- Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually setting the temperature should overrule the Seasonal Savings program, but quite a few users have discovered this isn’t the case. If you observe your Nest consistently ignoring your changes, you’ll probably opt to turn off the feature completely.
- Disabling 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 disable Seasonal Savings, but other homeowners have discovered this option under Settings. Once disabled, the feature is temporarily off until the next summer or winter.
- Disabling the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also display a History option where you can disable Seasonal Savings, but some homeowners report the disable option is not there.
- Opting out before the program launches: The Seasonal Savings program is only obtainable around summer and winter. Your smart device will receive a notification when the program is about to start, offering you the time to opt out.
When Seasonal Savings is live, your Nest will show a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If your Nest is experiencing issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is not visible, your trouble might be with a different setting entirely.
Sometimes the Issue Isn’t Seasonal Savings but a Different Setting or Program
Different settings on Nest smart thermostats apart from Seasonal Savings can result in counterintuitive temperature changes. If these features are active during Seasonal Savings, even disabling the program may not stop the thermostat from making adjustments. Thankfully, these settings can be turned off. You’ll also have options if the headache is a third party like the power company.
- Shutting off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both give you the Auto-Schedule feature, using their capacity to understand your preferences to set the perfect schedule. Going into Settings and switching off Auto-Schedule should disable other automatic changes 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 change the temperature when the thermostat thinks that no one is home.
- Opting out of the utility company’s energy agreement: Because your energy provider may be remotely controlling your Nest thermostat, cancelling the agreement should get rid of remote access. You can obtain the full details of these agreements from your energy provider.
- Calling Google support: If everything else fails, contacting Google’s technical support might be of help. Staff can direct you to resetting the Nest or locating the proper setting to switch off Seasonal Savings.
If the Problem Continues, Your Thermostat May Be Faulty
There’s always the possibility your Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical problems or software glitches can trigger all types of trouble, including an aggravating Seasonal Savings program. If you suspect the problem is isolated to your personal thermostat, a knowledgeable technician may be able to help. After all, smart thermostats are still a valuable investment for your home’s energy efficiency.
If you prefer local support for your smart thermostat in Fort Worth, call the HVAC experts at Stark Services. They can help you figure out the ideal way to switch off an uncooperative Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.