How to Switch Off Your Nest Thermostats Seasonal Savings Program

Smart thermostats are growing in popularity as more and more homeowners search for ways to cut down on their energy costs. These devices can be programmed to automatically regulate the temperature inside your home according to your regular schedule. They also have the means to study any preferences over time. For this reason, you can save money 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 many homeowners are pleased with its features and overall efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–could be stirring up trouble as opposed to supporting your HVAC system. Constant issues are pushing homeowners to research how to disable this feature. We’ll present the problems some people are having with Seasonal Savings and provide instructions for how to opt out of the program.

Many Homeowners Say the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Well

Google built the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners increase their energy efficiency. Around the highest HVAC use in the summer and winter, it will automatically adjust the thermostat to match your preferences with energy efficiency. The program is expected to run without disrupting your sense of comfort, setting up the biggest changes when you’re away or in bed. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many people participating in the program.

Alternatively, there are claims that the program is sporadic and difficult to use. Homeowners are concerned that the program is even increasing their energy bills instead of reducing them. And when they decide to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve found the way to do so is difficult to find or downright missing. In many cases people have even noted it being switched back on after it was disabled.

Smart thermostats are expected to increase the efficiency of your heating and cooling. While automatic temperature changes are a customary feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t ignore your desired settings. If the Nest refuses to accommodate your comfort preferences, disabling the Seasonal Savings option is the correct move.

But First, Why Is This A Problem?

Homeowners are concerned that the Seasonal Savings program was activated on their Nest thermostat without their consent. Why would a smart thermostat you operate dismiss your settings and activate the program? It might be because of an energy-efficiency agreement you subscribed to with a utility company.

These agreements help you improve your home’s energy efficiency. They can come with rebates on new accessories or special promotions for renewable energy equipment. But most people are surprised to hear they also permit your utility company remote access to your thermostat. If the power grid is experiencing a heavy load, the utility company can take control of your thermostat and raise the temperature. You may well be having problems with the Seasonal Savings program because a utility company is utilizing this remote access.

But what if the program is malfunctioning or just ignoring your preferences? Whatever the reason may be, you don’t want a feature to increase your energy use without your consent. We’ll walk you through 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 experienced trouble opting out of the Seasonal Savings feature. While the location of this setting may be different based on your specific Nest model, other users are alarmed that Google is deliberately making it tougher to disable Seasonal Savings. To ensure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll list the ways other users have had success.

    1. Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually changing the temperature should supersede the Seasonal Savings program, but quite a few users have noticed this isn’t the case. If you notice your Nest persistently reversing your changes, you’ll probably opt to shut off the feature completely.
    1. Shutting off the feature from the Nest app: Your phone or tablet’s Nest app should have a History option and a Settings option. Google guides users to their History to disable Seasonal Savings, but other people have found this option under Settings. Once disabled, the setting is temporarily off until the following summer or winter.
    1. Disabling the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also display a History option where you can disable Seasonal Savings, but some homeowners claim the disable option is gone.
    1. Opting out before the program begins: The Seasonal Savings program is only obtainable during summer and winter. Your smart device is supposed to be sent a notification when the program is about to launch, offering you the time to opt out.

When Seasonal Savings is running, your Nest should show a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If a Nest is having issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is missing, your problem may be with a different setting entirely.

Sometimes the Problem Isn’t Seasonal Savings but a Different Setting or Program

Other features on Nest smart thermostats apart from Seasonal Savings can cause unwanted temperature changes. If these features are active during Seasonal Savings, even opting out of the program may not stop the thermostat from making adjustments. Thankfully, these settings can be switched off. You’ll also have options if the headache is a third party like your power company.

    1. Shutting off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both extend the Auto-Schedule feature, using their capability to study your preferences to set the perfect schedule. Going into Settings and turning off Auto-Schedule should prevent other automatic changes such as Seasonal Savings.
    1. Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats may still shift to eco temperatures if you possess an auto-switching feature like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These features automatically change the temperature when the thermostat assumes that the house is empty.
    1. Opting out of the utility company’s energy agreement: Considering your energy provider could be remotely controlling a Nest thermostat, cancelling the agreement should take away remote access. You can locate the full details of these agreements with your energy provider.
    1. Calling Google support: If everything else fails, calling Google’s technical support may be of help. Staff can guide you to resetting the Nest or locating the correct setting to disable Seasonal Savings.

If the Problem Persists, Your Thermostat May Be Faulty

There’s always the possibility your Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical problems or software bugs can trigger all types of trouble, including an inconsistent Seasonal Savings program. If you believe the problem is isolated to your own thermostat, a seasoned technician will be able to help. After all, smart thermostats continue to be a worthwhile investment for your home’s energy efficiency.

If you want local support for your smart thermostat in the U.S., contact the HVAC professionals at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. They can help you figure out the ideal way to disable a stubborn Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.

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