Diagnosis
The "eco+" icon appearing on your ecobee SmartThermostat Premium indicates that the device is currently executing an active energy-saving event. When you see this icon while your HVAC is running at unexpected times, it is almost certainly the "Time of Use" (ToU) feature. This system is designed to shift your energy consumption to "off-peak" hours to save money on electricity bills, often by "precooling" or "preheating" your home before a high-cost peak window begins. The "weird times" you are experiencing are the result of the thermostat calculating a thermal buffer. For example, if your utility provider has a peak window from 4 PM to 7 PM, the ecobee will aggressively heat or cool your home at 2 PM to ensure the temperature remains acceptable during the peak window without running the compressor or furnace during the most expensive hours. You can confirm this by checking the "Eco+" menu on the device; if "Time of Use" is toggled on, the thermostat is overriding your manual setpoints to follow the utility's rate schedule.
How to Fix It
To regain control over when your home preheats and how aggressively the system operates, follow these precise steps:
- Tap the Main Menu (three horizontal lines) on the thermostat screen.
- Select eco+ from the list of options.
- Locate the Time of Use section. If you wish to keep the feature but reduce the intensity, tap on it to enter the detailed settings.
- Adjust the Savings Preferences slider. This slider ranges from 1 to 5 and dictates the "depth" of the preheat/precool:
- Level 1: Minimal impact. The system will precool/preheat by only 1°F and will not apply a significant setback during peak hours.
- Level 3: Balanced. This typically precools/preheats by 2-3°F and applies a moderate setback.
- Level 5: Maximum savings. The system may precool/preheat by up to 4°F and apply a strict 3°F setback during peak times, which is usually what causes the "weird" temperature swings.
- If you want to stop the preheating entirely, toggle the Time of Use switch to Off. The eco+ icon will disappear unless another feature (like "Pause when Open") is active.
If That Didn't Work
- Check for "Smart Recovery": If the house is heating up early in the morning despite eco+ being off, your "Smart Recovery" setting is likely enabled. This is separate from eco+. Go to Main Menu > Settings > Preferences > Smart Recovery and toggle it off to prevent the thermostat from calculating "lead-in" time to reach your wake-up temperature.
- Disable "Pause when Open": If the eco+ icon appears when you open a window or door (detected by SmartSensors), navigate to eco+ > Pause when Open and disable it. This prevents the HVAC from shutting down unexpectedly when a sensor detects a draft or open window.
- Verify Utility Demand Response: If you enrolled in a utility company "Demand Response" program, your energy provider can remotely trigger an eco+ event. This overrides your local settings. To stop this, you must contact your utility provider or opt-out through their specific energy portal.
- Reset eco+ Learning: If the system has "learned" a bad pattern of occupancy, go to the eco+ menu and look for any "Learning" features. Resetting these allows the thermostat to recalibrate based on your current actual habits rather than outdated data.
Heads Up
- Sensor Interference: Ensure your SmartSensors are not placed near heat vents or in direct sunlight, as this can trick the eco+ logic into thinking the room is warmer than it is, triggering unnecessary precooling.
- C-Wire Stability: Frequent switching between eco+ modes and standard modes can occasionally cause power fluctuations if you are using a Power Extender Kit (PEK) instead of a dedicated C-wire. Ensure all wiring is tight at the backplate.
- Seasonal Adjustments: It is recommended to adjust your Savings Preference slider seasonally. A Level 5 setting in the dead of winter can lead to uncomfortable "cold snaps" during peak hours that the system cannot recover from quickly.