You may love your new thermostat, and Ecobee is the best one you can by, but what should you do if it’s giving you problems?
You could call someone to help, but that’s expensive. The best thing to do is to learn to fix these issues yourself. Ecobee is an easy-to-use thermostat that can adjust to your preferences while keeping your energy bill low, so it’s worth learning how to fix!
The most common problems with the Ecobee thermostat is that it won’t turn on, or that the heat isn’t working. If it’s not turning on, it is because of bad or loose wiring. This can be fixed by checking the wires and rewiring them. When the heat doesn’t work, this caused by having your heat on for too long, or a flogged filter. You can fix this by turning the heat off briefly, or replacing your filter.
Whether your Ecobee system is getting too hot, or its power is no longer working for an inexplicable reason, this article will cover all such problems. You will learn how to empty your drain pan, unclog drainpipes, replace the battery, reconnect loose wires, and much more.
Common Reasons Your Ecobee Thermostat Won’t Turn On
There are many reasons why your thermostat may not be turning on. Luckily, the vast majority of these reasons are common and have quick solutions. The problem is usually the drain pipe getting clogged, loose wires, or low batteries
How to Know if Your Drain Pan is Clogged
All air conditioners, by virtue of design, collect and condense water from the atmosphere. This water is collected in a drip pan or sent down a tube to a drain. If this pan fills and clogs due to mold, algae, or dirt, a switch will trip. The air conditioner will then turn off to prevent overflow. The drain may be outside or may be integrated with your heater system.
Once you locate the drain, check to see that the drain isn’t full, and there’s no water damage around it. If you can, check to make sure drain line is clear of debris. If you see the water sensor, make sure it’s not damaged.
Blocked Drain Line
Your AC system collects water from the air. Where does the water go? It goes into the drain line, and then into the drain pan. When everything runs smoothly, any debris, mold, or algae empties into the pan. However, sometimes debris can get stuck in the drain.
You can locate this pipe outside your home. It will be a white PVC pipe that connects to the inside. It will usually be found near the condenser unit.
Your Breaker Has Turned Off
If too much power is drawn, or an unfortunate lightening strike hits nearby, your home’s breaker can flip. Usually, you can just flip it back, and your Ecobee thermostat will work fine. First, locate your breaker box, this will usually be in the garage if you have one.
Flip the breaker for your AC back on. Wait for 30 seconds to make sure it does not flip back. Then, try adjusting the temperature to ensure it is functioning properly.
How to Tell if Your Wires are Loose
When your wires receive more current than they can handle, this can cause a wire short out. This damages equipment and is also a potential fire hazard.
A power outage or even just old wires can cause this. Since many wires connect to many different power sources, over time they become loose and may not connect with their power source. This disrupts electric currents. Take off the cover of the thermostat to investigate any wires you believe may be causing you problems.
Check if Your Unit Has Overheated
Your heater will have a sensor to detect if the system is getting too hot. You will know this has happened if you smell something odd, hear a strange humming from your furnace, or your furnace isn’t shutting off properly. If this safety feature trips, you need to investigate.
First, check you air filter. Clogged or dirty air filters will stop air from flowing through, making your heating system work a lot harder, and thereby making it too hot. If your filter is dirty, it’s time to replace it. Another problem could be your furnace running for too long. If you set your temperature very high due to a cold snap, it could get far too hot. Wait for it to cool down, then, set the temperature lower.
Check if Your Furnace Fuse is Tripped
There is a small fuse on your furnace that protects your furnace from power surges and electrical storms. They can sometimes get blown by dirt and dust. Not cleaning your furnace can cause you motor to overheat, and consequently, a blown fuse.
To find it, open the panel on your furnace. You should see your control board. There will be a purple 3 or an orange 5-amp fuse on the board. If it’s intact, you’re good to go. If it’s blown, you need to replace it.
Where To find Compatible Batteries
When it’s time to change your battery, you must be careful to buy the correct one. You need to find and use the CR-2032 coin-cell battery. You can find and purchase this battery on Ecobee’s website. You can order this other places online as well, and most major battery companies produce this battery
You will rarely need to call someone to fix your Ecobee Thermostat for you. However, if you’re going to attempt to fix it yourself, be aware of potential safety hazards.
Always disconnect your thermostat from its power source before messing with the wires or fuses. If you have questions concerning hazards, always check your user’s manual. You won’t need many tools other than a multimeter to check your wires.
Empty Your Drain Pan
When your drain starts overflowing, it’s time to take action. Unchecked, it can cause problems like excess humidity, aggravate your allergies, and even damage your home structurally. Here is how to determine if your drain pan is the problem and how to fix it.
First, turn off your AC and remove the drain cover. Empty excess water. Notice heavy amounts of sediment, mold, or algae in your pan? Give it a good scrub. Remember to check the pan periodically, so this doesn’t happen again!
Clean Your Drain lines
The drain line is what brings the atmosphere water down to the drain pan. If it’s blocked, your AC will not cool your home, drip water, and raise your energy bills. To fix it, first turn off your Ecobee air conditioner to avoid electric shock.
Locate the drainpipe, which will probably be outside. Remove cap from pipe. Use a flashlight to check the pipe for debris. Remove as much as you can with your hands, then slowly pour one cup white vinegar into the pipe. Replace the drain cap, then wait a half hour before turning on your AC. It will run as good as new!
Replace Furnace Fuse
When your Ecobee Thermostat isn’t turning on the AC, there are a few possible causes. It could be a blown fuse, a faulty circuit breaker, or an issue with the thermostat itself. You can determine the source by testing an outlet first with an outlet tester.
If there’s power in all your outlets, you know to check the fuse and circuit breaker. There are a few ways to fix a blown fuse and get your Ecobee Thermostat working again. First, you can try to reset your thermostat by unplugging it from power for 10 seconds, then plug it in again. If that doesn’t work, call a technician to help replace the fuse.
How to Reset your Breaker
After a power outage, many thermostats may have a problem turning on. You may notice your Ecobee Thermostat has stopped working. This is caused by a power surge that flips the breaker connected to your thermostat. You can fix this by firstly checking your circuit breaker. Then, you should turn on your circuit breaker. Next, proceed to wait about thirty minutes. Lastly, adjust the temperature to make sure it works, and it will be fixed.
Reconnect Your Wires
Go ahead and grab your multimeter for this one. If you think your wires are disconnected, checking for continuity with a multimeter is an easy way to know if the wires are connected. Access the wires by taking apart your Ecobee Thermostat.
Attach your multimeter to the wires and check that all have continuity. If one doesn’t, you know it needs to be reconnected. Turn off power and expose the problem wire. The exposed end should be one-third to a half-inch long. Cut and strip any faulty wire ends. Insert wire back in.
If you have any more bad wires, repeat the steps. You can then put the cover back on, and your Ecobee Thermostat will run smoothly.
How to Check Wire Compatibility
Luckily, Ecobee thermostats are compatible with most home wiring systems. To check, you first must turn of your AC power and remove your thermostat. Next, check the wires connected to your thermostat’s base. Once you’ve done that, take note of the wires you observe. If you see any sort of label referencing high voltage, Ecobee is not compatible.
However, if you don’t see any of those, you are good to go! Select the wires that come from the wall and attach to the base. Those are the wires you will use to connect to your thermostat.
How to Change the Battery
The sensory batteries that Ecobee requires last about five years. When the battery dies, your Ecobee Thermostat won’t do anything you want it to.
You can find the batteries by prying of the Ecobee Thermostat cover. Begin by putting your thumb and index finger on the backplate. Next, pull against the Ecobee Thermostat. Then, remove the screws from the backplate. You now have access to the batteries. Take your CR-2032 batteries and replace the dead ones. Now, put everything back on. You have now successfully replaced your battery.
How to Change Your Temperature Threshold
If you want to change the threshold temperature limits on your Ecobee Thermostat, here’s how to do it. First, go to the main menu, then settings, then installation settings, then thresholds. Ecobee’s have a default setting that may not be to your preference.
You can change this by going to “Configure Staging” which will be set to “Automatically.” Change it to “Manually.” You will now be able to fine tune your thermostat’s settings to whatever your heart desires.
When to Call a Professional
Most of Ecobee’s common problems can be fixed yourself, but what’s to be done when it’s just beyond your skill level? For annual inspections, call a professional. This needs to be done once per year to make sure there’s no safety hazards. A trained eye can spot problems you won’t even notice.
If your AC is not blowing cool air, call a professional. This issue can have several causes. Your coolant level could be low, or there could be an issue with your compressor. Hearing a weird noise or smell? This could be your furnace getting too hot, and you can check that as listed above. If it’s not that, you need to let a professional handle it. Weird smells and sound can correlate to serious internal issues with your system.
To repair an AC unit in the United States, the average cost is $336. The typical range is anywhere from $163 and $520. The highest cost repairs can even be up to $1100. While that can seem like a daunting price, your safety and health is priceless.
There’s a time to fix it yourself and a time to ask for help. IF you have any uncertainty about your ability to safely repair your unit, don’t be afraid to hire a professional.
Wrapping Things Up
In this article, you learned how to fix most problems your Ecobee Thermometer can have. From unclogging a drain tube to replacing a furnace fuse, you are able to solve these issues yourself.
You know how to check for damaged wires and reset the system when needed. Remember, you deserve to have control over heating and cooling without your safety being compromised, so call a professional if you need to.
Ruben has a diverse background in the home services industry, with experience running a construction company, a kitchen and bath showroom, and a moving and relocation company. This breadth of experience has provided him with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in various areas of home improvement in general and specifically in the heating and plumbing niche.