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How to Adjust Temperature and Turn On Heat on Ecobee Smart Thermostat

The Ecobee smart thermostat is an innovative WiFi-enabled thermostat that allows you to control your home’s temperature and HVAC system from anywhere. With its sleek touchscreen interface, energy-saving features, and integration with voice assistants like Alexa, the Ecobee thermostat aims to make controlling your home’s climate simple and convenient.

However, if you’ve just purchased an Ecobee thermostat, you may be wondering how to perform basic functions like changing the temperature or turning on the heat. Here is a comprehensive guide to adjusting temperature settings and enabling heating on Ecobee smart thermostats.

Adjusting Temperature Setpoints

The most basic function of any thermostat, including Ecobee models, is allowing you to set target temperatures for heating and cooling. Here are the steps to adjust temperature setpoints on an Ecobee thermostat:

Using the Thermostat Interface

  1. Tap the current temperature reading on the home screen of your Ecobee thermostat. This will bring up the temperature adjustment screen.
  2. Use the up and down arrow buttons on the touchscreen to raise or lower your desired temperature setpoint. You’ll see the changes reflected live.
  3. Press Done when finished to save your new heating and cooling setpoints.

Using the Ecobee App

  1. Open the Ecobee app and navigate to the thermostat you want to adjust.
  2. Tap the temperature reading below the thermostat name.
  3. Drag the blue and orange tabs to adjust cooling and heating ranges. The setpoints will update in real-time.
  4. Tap Save when finished adjusting temperatures.

Enabling Heat Mode

If your Ecobee thermostat isn’t calling for heat even when temperatures drop below your heating setpoint, you may need to manually switch it into heat mode. Follow these instructions:

Using the Thermostat Interface

  1. Press the Menu icon on your Ecobee touchscreen.
  2. Select Settings from the menu.
  3. Choose Equipment.
  4. Enable Heat as the current HVAC mode.
  5. Press Done when finished.

The thermostat will now activate your heating system whenever the indoor temperature drops below your defined heating setpoint.

Using the Ecobee App

  1. In the Ecobee app, tap the thermostat you want to adjust.
  2. Select Settings from the menu.
  3. Tap Equipment.
  4. Turn on the switch next to Heat to enable this mode.
  5. Confirm by pressing Save at the top.

The app will communicate the settings change to your thermostat. Follow the same steps to enable cool mode during summer months.

Adjusting Temperature Display Units

Ecobee allows you to view temperature readings in either Fahrenheit or Celsius. Here’s how to change the display units:

  1. Press the Menu icon on your Ecobee and choose Settings.
  2. Select Preferences from the list.
  3. Tap Temperature Display.
  4. Choose either °F or °C.
  5. Confirm your selection by pressing Save.

All temperature readings across your Ecobee thermostat and sensors will now display using the newly selected units.

Setting a Temporary Temperature Override

You can temporarily override your set temperatures on an Ecobee thermostat using a manual hold function:

  1. Tap the current temperature reading on your Ecobee home screen.
  2. Adjust the target temperature using the up/down arrows.
  3. Press Hold next to the desired duration for the override.
  4. Confirm by selecting Done when finished.

The thermostat will maintain your temporary temperature setting for the chosen 2 hour, 4 hour, or indefinite hold period.

Adjusting Temperature Ranges

To prevent extreme hot or cold settings, Ecobee allows restricting the range of selectable temperatures:

  1. Go to Menu > Settings > Preferences on your thermostat.
  2. Choose Heating/Cooling Ranges.
  3. Adjust the minimum and maximum setpoints for heating and cooling modes.
  4. Confirm settings by pressing Save when finished.

Users will now only be able to set temperatures within the defined ranges.

Enabling Auto Heat/Cool Mode

The Auto setting on an Ecobee thermostat automatically switches between heating and cooling as needed:

  1. Select Menu > Settings > Equipment on your Ecobee.
  2. Turn on the toggle next to Auto Heat/Cool.
  3. Press Done to save settings.

With auto mode enabled, your Ecobee will intelligently control your HVAC system to maintain comfort within setpoint ranges.

Troubleshooting Heating Issues

If your Ecobee thermostat isn’t activating your heating system properly, check the following:

  • Ensure heating mode is enabled under Menu > Settings > Equipment.
  • Check that temperature setpoint is at least a few degrees above current room temperature.
  • Verify your thermostat wiring using installation guide diagrams.
  • Reset thermostat to factory defaults if problems persist.

Reaching out to Ecobee customer support can also help resolve persistent heating activation problems.

Conclusion

Adjusting temperature and enabling heating modes are simple tasks on Ecobee smart thermostats. Follow the guide above to change setpoints across interfaces, override settings temporarily, restrict range limits, and troubleshoot issues.

With a few taps and swipes on the unit’s touchscreen or smartphone app, you can take control of your home’s climate. Ecobee’s intuitive controls combined with remote access provide convenience and energy savings benefits for modern smart homes.

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