Smart thermostats are increasing in popularity as more and more homeowners search for ways to cut down on their energy bills. These systems can be programmed to automatically maintain the temperature inside your home in line with your daily schedule. They also have the ability to study comfort preferences over time. As a result, you can spend less on your energy bills by seeing to it 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 overall efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–is making trouble as opposed to supporting your HVAC system. Consistent issues are driving homeowners to learn how to disable this feature. We’ll present the trouble some people are having with Seasonal Savings and include instructions for how to opt out of the setting.
Many Homeowners Allege the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Like It Should
Google built the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners boost their energy efficiency. During peak HVAC use in the summer and winter, it can automatically adjust the thermostat to satisfy your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is supposed to run without interrupting your sense of comfort, implementing the biggest changes when you’re away or in bed. Sadly, this isn’t the case for numerous people participating in the program.
In fact, there are claims that the program is inconsistent and frustrating to use. Homeowners are concerned that the program is actually increasing their energy bills instead of shrinking them. And when they decide to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve noticed the way to do so is difficult to find or downright missing. In some cases people have even observed it being turned back on after it was disabled.
Smart thermostats are expected to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. While automatic temperature changes are a widespread feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t bypass your preferred settings. If your Nest isn't meeting your comfort preferences, shutting off the Seasonal Savings feature is the right move.
But First, Why Is This Happening?
Homeowners are complaining that the Seasonal Savings feature was activated on their Nest thermostat without their permission. Why would a smart thermostat you command brush off your settings and activate 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 can come with rebates on new equipment or special offers for renewable energy products. But most people are alarmed to learn they also permit your utility company remote access to your thermostat. If the power grid is under a heavy load, the utility company can override your thermostat and turn up the temperature. You may well be having problems with the Seasonal Savings program because a utility company is using this remote access.
But what if the program is faulty or just disregarding your preferences? Whatever the reason might be, you don’t want a feature to increase your energy use without your approval. We’ll review how other people 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 purposely making it more difficult to opt out of 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 changing the temperature should overrule the Seasonal Savings program, but many users have observed this isn’t the case. If you see your Nest repeatedly undoing your changes, you’ll probably opt to turn off the feature entirely.
- Disabling the feature from the Nest app: Your phone or tablet’s Nest app is supposed to have a History option and a Settings option. Google guides users to their History to shut off Seasonal Savings, but other homeowners have found this option under Settings. Once disabled, the setting is temporarily off until the next summer or winter.
- Stopping 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 gone.
- Opting out before the program begins: The Seasonal Savings program is only obtainable during summer and winter. Your smart device is supposed to receive a notification when the program is about to start, offering you the chance to opt out.
When Seasonal Savings is on, your Nest will feature 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 Problem Isn’t Seasonal Savings but a Different Setting or Program
Alternative options on Nest smart thermostats apart from Seasonal Savings can cause automatic temperature changes. If these options are active during Seasonal Savings, even disabling the program may not stop the thermostat from making adjustments. Luckily, these settings can be disabled. You’ll also have options if the headache is a third party like your power company.
- Switching off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both extend the Auto-Schedule feature, using their ability to understand your preferences to establish the perfect schedule. Going into Settings and shutting off Auto-Schedule should prevent other automatic changes like Seasonal Savings.
- Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats can still swap to eco temperatures if you use an auto-switching feature like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These functions automatically change the temperature when the thermostat assumes that everyone is out of the house.
- Opting out of the utility company’s energy agreement: Considering your energy provider might be remotely controlling the Nest thermostat, opting out of the agreement should remove their access. You can locate the complete details of these agreements via your energy provider.
- Contacting Google support: If all else fails, calling Google’s technical support may be of help. Staff can guide you to resetting the Nest or determining the proper setting to turn off Seasonal Savings.
If the Problem Persists, Your Thermostat Could Be Malfunctioning
There’s always the risk a Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical problems or software glitches can cause all types of problems, including an aggravating Seasonal Savings program. If you suspect the problem is isolated to your specific thermostat, a knowledgeable technician might be able to help. After all, smart thermostats are still a valuable investment for your home’s energy efficiency.
If you prefer local service for your smart thermostat in San Antonio, call the comfort specialists at San Antonio Air Service Experts. They can help you determine the ideal way to switch off a stubborn Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.