Your smart thermostat is among the essential components of your cooling and heating system. It helps you in programming temperature settings in anticipation of future needs. With current models, you may even achieve this through Wi-Fi connectivity and digital apps. At some point, you may have noticed that your smart thermostat had gone into recovery mode. You may also have wondered what that meant. Let’s find out.
What Is a Smart Thermostat?
You’ve probably heard of both smart thermostats and programmable thermostats and speculated about the difference. There really is none; they’re interchangeable terms. A traditional thermostat permits you to regulate the temperature in a room to a constant setting, while a smart thermostat is able to anticipate your needs and change the temperature according to a programmed schedule. This makes the smart thermostat a much more energy-efficient choice. You can decide in advance when your programmable thermostat should raise or lower the temperature. With Wi-Fi connectivity and digital apps, you can even adjust it remotely.
What Happens During Recovery Mode?
The greatest load on your heating or cooling system is sustained from accommodating a very great change in temperature. If, for example, you were to allow the indoor temperature to drop to 50 degrees when you were away at work during the winter, but you wanted the house to be a toasty 75 degrees when you returned home, the strain on your system would be significant. Rather than try to accomplish this all at once, your smart thermostat will gradually begin the process of raising the indoor temperature an hour or so before you arrive. This is much better for your equipment. That’s recovery mode. It’s a feature that’s now found in many brands.
If you discover that the thermostat is in recovery mode, it does not mean that the device is faulty or recovering from a problem. It informs you that your air conditioner is back on and will continue to run until it reaches the anticipated temperature.
Is Recovery Mode Beneficial?
Smart thermostats help you reduce your energy bill by limiting your HVAC system usage to times when you need it. Obviously, this minimizes energy consumption. By adjusting your home’s interior temperature gradually, your thermostat enhances the process. The recovery mode function provides even greater savings. What’s more, it reduces wear and tear on your equipment. Yes, it’s extremely beneficial.
Should You Switch Off Recovery Mode?
If there is only a small difference between your desired temperature settings, disabling your thermostat’s recovery mode will not greatly affect the HVAC system’s electricity consumption. However, if there is a big variation in the settings you’ve programmed, it is far better to leave the recovery mode on. Besides minimizing your electricity consumption, lessening the load on your HVAC system from the impact of rapidly rising or falling temperatures will actually extend its usefulness.
Can Recovery Mode Mean Something Is Wrong?
In most cases, recovery mode is an indication that your smart thermostat is preparing to change the temperature. If you see that it persists in recovery mode, however, that might be an indication something is wrong. For example, if your thermostat keeps rising to an unexpectedly high temperature even though it isn’t programmed to do so, your appliance could have a serious problem. Another scenario would be that your HVAC system is running, but you’re still having a hard time heating or cooling your home. This usually only happens with poorly maintained or older systems. If you are considering turning off recovery mode because you suspect your central AC of poor performance, the culprit could be as simple as a lack of Freon. To evaluate the situation properly, reach out to your chosen HVAC firm.
How to Prevent Your HVAC System from Entering Recovery Mode
Reduce the difference between the temperature settings and ensure they are within a range of 5 to 7 degrees. This not only prevents your HVAC system from entering recovery mode, but it also reduces power consumption.
Contact the Professionals
If you are unsure whether your HVAC unit has a problem, consider engaging a professional to check it. The conscientious NATE-certified technicians from Weather Masters Corp. address issues with smart thermostats anywhere in or around Frederick, MD. We also provide meticulous installation, maintenance and repair for individual components or complete heating or cooling systems. We’re proud of our membership in the ACCA, and we have an A+ rating with the BBB. Our results are backed by a guarantee of customer satisfaction. Check out our excellent reviews on Angie’s List, and then call us today.
