🌙 When the sun sets and temperatures drop, the last thing you expect is your Ecobee thermostat failing to cool your home. If you’re tossing and turning at night because your AC won’t kick in, you’re not alone. Many Ecobee users have reported cooling issues that only happen after dark. Let’s explore what causes this and how to fix it.
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🧊 Why Your Ecobee Might Not Be Cooling at Night
There are several reasons why your Ecobee thermostat might stop cooling when night falls. Understanding the root cause is the first step to getting back your comfort.
Smart Recovery Behavior
Ecobee’s “Smart Recovery” learns your schedule and may delay cooling if it thinks you won’t need it yet. At night, it may interpret the outside temperature drop as a cue to reduce AC activity.
What to do:
Turn off Smart Recovery under Settings > Preferences > Smart Recovery and see if that improves nighttime cooling.
Temperature Setbacks in Schedule
Your Ecobee schedule might include setbacks that raise the set point at night to save energy.
What to do:
Check your schedule under Main Menu > Schedule and ensure the nighttime set temperature is where you want it to be.
Incorrect Comfort Settings
The “Sleep” comfort setting might be using heating or fan only instead of cooling.
What to do:
Go to Comfort Settings > Sleep and confirm that “Cool” is enabled and the temperature is set low enough.
AC Not Triggering Due to Sensor Activity
If you have multiple room sensors, Ecobee might be prioritizing temperature readings from a cooler room at night.
What to do:
Use the “Follow Me” feature wisely. Either disable it or adjust which sensors are included in the comfort setting.
Wiring or Equipment Issues
Sometimes the issue isn’t the thermostat—it’s the AC system. If the Ecobee is calling for cool, but nothing happens, it could be a wiring issue or a faulty contactor in your HVAC system.
What to do:
Listen for the usual sounds of your AC unit starting up. If you don’t hear anything, contact an HVAC technician to check wiring or equipment problems.
Firmware Glitches or App Bugs
Glitches can sometimes interfere with scheduling or thermostat response at specific times, including night.
What to do:
Restart your Ecobee from Main Menu > Settings > Reset > Reboot HVAC system, or power cycle it manually.
🔍 Diagnostic Tips
- Check HVAC runtime logs under Main Menu > System > Equipment Runtime to see if the AC was running at night.
- Use the Ecobee app to monitor temperatures and HVAC activity throughout the night.
âś… When to Call for Help
If none of the above tips work, it’s time to escalate:
- Contact Ecobee Support for deeper diagnostic help.
- Hire a certified HVAC technician to inspect your cooling system and wiring.
🌿 Final Thoughts
Ecobee is a smart thermostat, but sometimes its intelligent features can misinterpret your comfort needs. Nighttime cooling issues are often tied to settings like Smart Recovery or sensor behavior—but with a few tweaks, you can usually fix the issue without needing a service call.
Sleep cool and rest easy—your comfort is just a few adjustments away.