🌡️ When your Ecobee thermostat refuses to hold the temperature you’ve set, it can be more than just a minor inconvenience — especially during the peak of summer or the depths of winter. This guide will walk you through common causes and step-by-step solutions to get your comfort back on track.
Contents
🧠Understanding the Problem
The phrase “not holding temperature” usually means that the Ecobee changes the set temperature on its own or doesn’t maintain it for long. This behavior is often due to the thermostat’s built-in smart features, not a malfunction.
🛠️ Common Reasons Why Ecobee Won’t Hold Temperature
Smart Recovery Is Enabled
Ecobee’s Smart Recovery learns your schedule and starts heating or cooling in advance so your home reaches the desired temperature at the scheduled time. It may seem like it’s ignoring your settings, but it’s actually working ahead of the curve.
Solution:
Disable Smart Recovery under Main Menu > Settings > Preferences > Heating/Cooling Smart Recovery if you prefer manual control.
Comfort Settings Are Overriding Your Manual Input
Comfort settings (Home, Away, Sleep) define target temperatures for different scenarios. If the system reverts to a comfort setting after you change the temp, this is likely the culprit.
Solution:
Edit your Comfort Settings under Schedule > Activities > Comfort Settings and adjust them to your preferred temperatures.
Hold Settings Are Set to a Limited Duration
Ecobee allows you to choose how long a manual change should be held — until the next scheduled activity, for a set number of hours, or until you change it again.
Solution:
Go to Main Menu > Settings > Preferences > Hold Action and select “Until I Change It” for a permanent hold.
The Schedule Is Rewriting the Temp
If you’ve created a detailed schedule in your Ecobee app, any changes you make manually will revert once the schedule updates.
Solution:
Either update the schedule to match your desired temperatures or use the hold feature.
Alexa or Other Smart Assistants Are Overriding Settings
Sometimes, third-party integrations such as Amazon Alexa or Apple HomeKit can change the temperature remotely or according to routines.
Solution:
Review routines or voice assistant history to see if a command changed your settings unexpectedly.
Room Sensor Readings Are Inconsistent
Ecobee uses room sensors to determine the average temperature. If a distant room is significantly cooler or warmer, it can affect performance.
Solution:
Reposition or remove sensors from the calculation temporarily under Sensors > Participation in the app or thermostat menu.
🧪 Quick Troubleshooting Checklist
- âś… Disable Smart Recovery (if not desired)
- âś… Check Hold Settings
- âś… Review and adjust Comfort Settings
- âś… Inspect your daily schedule
- âś… Review third-party integrations (Alexa, HomeKit)
- âś… Test with/without room sensors
🌱 Final Thoughts
The Ecobee is a powerful smart thermostat, but its features can sometimes get in the way of simplicity. By adjusting a few preferences and understanding how the system thinks, you can regain control and make sure your home stays exactly as warm or cool as you like.
If all else fails and your Ecobee continues to behave erratically, consider restarting the device or reaching out to Ecobee support for firmware-specific issues.