How to Turn Off Your Nest Thermostats Seasonal Savings Program

Smart thermostats are increasing in popularity as more and more homeowners look for ways to lower their energy bills. These devices can be programmed to automatically adjust the temperature at home based on your daily schedule. They also have the means to study any preferences over time. For this reason, you can save money 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 many homeowners are pleased with its features and general efficiency. But one feature–the Seasonal Savings program–may be causing trouble rather than supporting your HVAC system. Lasting issues are driving homeowners to find out how to switch off 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 Claim the Seasonal Savings Program Isn’t Working Like It Should

Google built the Seasonal Savings program to help homeowners improve their energy efficiency. For 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 getting in the way of your sense of comfort, implementing the biggest changes when you’re away or asleep. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for numerous people enrolled in the program.

In fact, there are reports that the program is sporadic and irritating to use. Homeowners are complaining that the program is actually increasing their energy bills instead of reducing them. And when they try to disable or opt out of Seasonal Savings, they’ve noticed the way to do so is difficult to find or entirely absent. In several cases people have even noticed it being flipped back on after it was disabled.

Smart thermostats are designed to strengthen the efficiency of your HVAC equipment. While automatic temperature corrections are a common feature in smart thermostats, it shouldn’t bypass your desired settings. If your Nest refuses to accommodate your comfort preferences, opting out of the Seasonal Savings feature is the correct move.

But First, Why Is This A Problem?

Homeowners are noticing that the Seasonal Savings program was started on their Nest thermostat without their permission. Why would a smart thermostat you operate overlook 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 enhance your home’s energy efficiency. They may offer rebates on new products or special offers for renewable energy equipment. But many people are alarmed to hear they also allow your utility company remote access to the thermostat. If the power grid is under 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 because a utility company is using this remote access.

But what if the feature is defective or just disregarding your preferences? Whatever the reason could be, you don’t want a feature to increase your energy use without your permission. We’ll explain how other users have turned off the Seasonal Savings program.

How to Disable Your Nest Thermostat’s Seasonal Savings Feature

A number of people have reported trouble opting out of the Seasonal Savings feature. While the location of this setting could be different according to your specific Nest model, other users are alarmed that Google is intentionally making it harder to turn off Seasonal Savings. To make sure you can opt out no matter what, we’ll list the ways other users have enjoyed success.

1. 1. Overriding Seasonal Savings: Manually setting the temperature should overrule the Seasonal Savings program, but numerous users have discovered this isn’t entirely accurate. If you note your Nest consistently reversing your changes, you’ll probably opt to turn off the feature completely.

2. 2. Opting out of the setting from the Nest app: Your phone or tablet’s Nest app is supposed to have a History option and a Settings option. Google points users to their History to shut off Seasonal Savings, but other users have found this option in Settings. Once disabled, the setting is temporarily off until the next summer or winter.

3. 3. Stopping the program from the Nest thermostat: Your thermostat should also display a History option where you can turn off Seasonal Savings, but some homeowners report the disable option is absent.

4. 4. Opting out before the program starts: The Seasonal Savings program is only accessible in summer and winter. Your smart device will get a notification when the program is about to start, giving you the time to opt out.

When Seasonal Savings is on, your Nest is supposed to feature a small yellow symbol of a leaf. If a Nest is experiencing issues and the Seasonal Savings icon is absent, your trouble could be with a different setting entirely.

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

Alternative options on Nest smart thermostats besides Seasonal Savings can lead to counterintuitive 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.

5. 5. Turning off Auto-Schedule: The Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning Thermostat both extend 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 disable other automatic changes like Seasonal Savings.

1. 1. Disabling auto switching: Nest thermostats will still switch to eco temperatures if you possess an auto-switching function like Home & Away Routines or Home/Away Assist. These features automatically change the temperature when the thermostat thinks that no one is around.

6. 6. Negating the utility company’s energy agreement: Considering your energy provider could be remotely controlling the Nest thermostat, cancelling the agreement should take away unwanted access. You can find the full details of these agreements via your energy provider.

7. 7. Reaching out to Google support: If all else fails, calling Google’s technical support might be of help. Staff can point you to resetting the Nest or determining the correct setting to disable Seasonal Savings.

If the Problem Remains, Your Thermostat May Be Faulty

There’s always the chance a Nest smart thermostat is just malfunctioning. Electrical issues or software glitches can cause all sorts of problems, including an aggravating Seasonal Savings program. If you suspect the problem is isolated to your specific thermostat, a skilled technician might be able to help. After all, smart thermostats remain a valuable investment for your home’s energy efficiency.

If you prefer local assistance for your smart thermostat in the U.S., get in touch with the HVAC professionals at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. They can help you determine the easiest way to switch off a stubborn Seasonal Savings program on your Nest thermostat.