Ecobee Thermostat Not Heating [Causes and Fixes]

Is your Ecobee not heating, and you’re unsure where to begin troubleshooting your system? No need to worry. In this guide, we’ll take you through the necessary steps to address this issue and restore your heating system to proper operation

In this guide, we’ll look at:

Why your Ecobee is not heating and how to fix it

Why your Ecobee wont turn on Aux heat and how to fix the problem.

Let’s look at the chart below that shows the common reasons for the problem at hand and how you can get it fixed.

Possible reasons Ecobee is not heating the solutions

Cause	Fix
No power to furnace	Check breaker switch
Thermostat settings	Set thermostat to correct settings
Overheating furnace	Check filter
Thermostat not receiving consistent power	Use the PEK
Furnace fails to ignite	Check error codes, Gas valves or burners
Defective thermostat	Replace thermostat

Power Issues

Start by verifying that your furnace has a power connection. You can check the circuit breaker for tripped switches.

If there are not tripped breakers check the furnace power switch that is typically located near the furnace and looks like a light switch.

If the switch is on but your Ecobee wont turn on heat then we can go into troubleshooting the whole system at this point.

Thermostat settings (OB settings reversed)

If your ecobee wont turn on heat, ensure that your thermostat is correctly set. Check whether you have set it to heat and the temperature raised above the ambient temperature.

If everything looks good but won’t heat then the check the orientation settings ( in case you are using a heat pump)

On your thermostat go to “Test Equipment” to try out all the modes.

If you system is cooling when you set it to heat or if tis heating when you set it to cool then you have have wrong O/B settings( reversing valve orientation settings)

To fix this problem, go to Settings -> Installation Settings -> Equipment -> Heat Pump and change the O/B Reversing Valve to “Energized on Heat”.

Overheating furnace

A furnace is made up of several safety components some of which include the temperature sensors. When the temperature goes beyond the safety limit, the sensor will trip and stop the furnace from turning on.

Overheating of a furnace can be caused by a number of things which can include clogged or dirty components such as the air filter or heat exchanger.

Other times, when the outdoor temperatures are considerably low, the furnace would try to work harder to keep up with heating your home.

This overworking of the furnace would result in overheating and consequently preventing the furnace from working.

To fix this problem try lowering the temperature point to allow the furnace to cycle at intervals.

Thermostat not receiving consistent power

When your Ecobee thermostat is not heating it could be that it is not momentarily conducting a significant current through its W1 terminal to the furnace controller’s W terminal.

You can start by checking if the hot surface ignitor is glowing bright enough. But because the heat is not turning on, it probably won’t glow. That’s because there won’t be enough current to power the hot surface ignitor (HSI) to light the burner.

You can also try pulling the ecobee off the wall and jumper the R and W wires. If this starts your furnace successfully, you’ll have to install the provided PEK to fix the problem permanently.

Note that even if you have the C, the problem may persist. So you may have to remove the C wire in order to install the PEK.

If you don’t have a PEK you can try fixing this problem by connecting the Wire into the W2 instead of the W1. That way you are telling Ecobee that there is a wire in W1 when in fact there is none. Then switch Stage 2 delta temperature to 1F.

Furnace fails to ignite

Your Ecobee wont turn on heat if your furnace fails to ignite.

Go down to the furnace and check through the little glass if there is light linking. If there is then the thermostat is simply failing to ignite due to one of the open safety switches such as the high limit switch.

The blinking lights have different meanings depending on the problem. You can check this on the diagnostic chart located on the back of the control board cover.

Defective thermostat

In rare cases, when an ecobee thermostat fails to turn on the heating system, a potential cause could be a defect in the thermostat itself.

Malfunctions in its internal components or wiring could prevent the thermostat from properly sending signals to the heating equipment, leading to a lack of heat output.

In such cases, troubleshooting the thermostat or seeking a replacement may be necessary to restore proper functionality.

FAQ

Why is Ecobee not turning on Aux heat?

If you’re deadline with an Ecobee not turning on the aux heat, you can follow these steps to quickly fix the problem.:

PS: Assuming that your thermostat wiring was done properly

Check Manual Controls and HVAC System: Go to the settings on your Ecobee thermostat and use the manual controls to test each feature, such as the heat pump and aux heat.

Make sure that each component is functioning properly and that the thermostat can control them effectively.

This step helps you confirm if the issue is related to configuration rather than a hardware problem.

Configuration Check: If all components are functioning in the manual control test, it’s likely a configuration issue. Understand that Ecobee has default settings that might affect how the aux heat operates.

Ensure you have a clear understanding of the following settings:

Threshold Setting: Ecobee has a default threshold temperature for turning on the aux heat. If the temperature is above this threshold, the aux heat will not engage. Check and adjust this threshold if needed.

Simultaneous Aux Heat: Make sure that your Ecobee is configured to allow the aux heat to work simultaneously with the regular heat pump. This is an important setting, especially in colder climates where both heat sources might be necessary.

Mode Selection: Understand that the “aux” mode on the Ecobee means only the auxiliary heat will run without the heat pump. Ensure you select the appropriate mode based on your heating requirements.

HVAC System Compatibility: Confirm that your HVAC system is compatible with the Ecobee thermostat. Check the wiring and connections to make sure everything is properly connected and configured.

Contact Ecobee Support: If you’ve tried the above steps and are still experiencing issues, consider reaching out to Ecobee’s customer support for further assistance. They might be able to provide guidance based on your specific situation.

Final thoughts

In closing, I trust that you have successfully fixed the issue of your ecobee not heating or not turning on Aux heat.

Remember also to have your HVAC system serviced from time to time or at least twice a year to avoid unforeseen issues with your system. If the problem is not fixed, call local HVAC experts for help.

Shalom

Ecobee Thermostat Not Heating [Causes and Fixes]