Why Does the Ecobee Thermostat Turn On the Fan But Not the AC? (5 Solutions Revealed!)


Why Does My Ecobee Thermostat Turn On The Fan But Not The AC

Have you ever wondered, “Why does the Ecobee thermostat turn on the fan but not the AC?” We reveal why it does and the 5 best solutions!

Even though the ecobee thermostat is a smart device, it still needs some help from time to time. It might need your assistance if your thermostat is having trouble figuring out if you want to keep the house cool or warm. When your ecobee thermostat turns on the fan but not the air conditioner, here are some steps you can take to get things back on track.

If you’re reading this article, that probably means you’ve likely already tried enabling the “Smart Home” feature and inquiring whether or not “Help Me Learn” is enabled. If neither of those options worked for you, continue reading for more tips on how to troubleshoot your ecobee thermostat when it turns on the fan but not the AC.

Why Does the Ecobee Thermostat Turn On the Fan But Not the AC?

The most common reason why the Ecobee thermostat turns on the fan but not the AC is that you are using a secondary or external sensor — a sensor that isn’t connected to your thermostat. If you have one in your home and you’re having an issue with your thermostat turning on the fan but not ac, then it’s likely that these sensors are next to each other. You should look at your setup and see if there are two sensors nearby each other.

Other Reasons Why Your Ecobee Thermostat Turns On the Fan But Not the AC

If your core thermostat is set to “Heat” and the remote sensor is set to “Cool,” it won’t work. To fix this, you must reverse the setting on one of these devices. If you have multiple sensors in your home, ensure each sensor is set to its temperature.

Make sure that the temperature on all of your sensors is correct. More often than not, this issue stems from an incorrectly set temperature on one of your sensors.

Check if you have a filter in front of a remote sensor because this can impact both the signal and the temperature reading by a couple of degrees.A common mistake many people make when installing their thermostat is placing the external sensor too close to the heat source in the house.

For example, if you have a fireplace, an external sensor placed next to it will more than likely fail to accurately record the temperature of your living space.

How to Solve The Ecobee Thermostat Not Turning on The AC problem

If multiple sensors are in the same room and you are getting readings that need to be more accurate, make sure they aren’t next to each other.

If all your sensors are connecting their temperature readings to your thermostat, but you still can’t get it to turn on the fan and AC, check the following:

If you have secondary sensors installed in your home, make sure they are turned on.

If you have a secondary sensor/sensor error after having installed your thermostat, this is likely because one of your sensors is near a source of heat that can affect its readings. To solve this problem: Find where internal sensor is pointing its temperature toward (the thermostat will be on Heat).

Then, manually set the temperature on your thermostat to see if your secondary sensor reaction is working properly. If it isn’t, you can use D-Bus to find out which sensor is causing the problem (usually a secondary sensor).

You can also have 2 thermometers in the same room and compare the room temperature to see if they differ. If there is, you need to move an auxiliary sensor, remove it, or adjust its location.

How to Ensure Your Ecobee Thermostat Works Correctly When it is Turning On the Fan But Not the AC

1. Check for Firmware Updates

By default, the ecobee thermostat can install its own updates to improve performance. You must make sure that you are running the latest firmware version. You can check for updated firmware by accessing the Device Information page on your thermostat.

2. Confirm Smart Home is Enabled

If your ecobee thermostat turns on the fan but not the AC and you are certain that you’re running the latest updates, check if your thermostat is set to “Smart Home” mode.

3. Run a remote test on your ecobee

You can run a remote test on your ecobee thermostat using your smartphone, tablet or computer. Once you’ve downloaded the app, connect to your ecobee thermostat and then run the remote test. The test results will show up as soon as it is finished.

Use D-Bus to check which sensors are conflicting

You can also use D-Bus to check which sensor is causing problems with your Ecobee thermostat. In this instance, you’re looking for a secondary sensor that might have been installed too close to a heat source such as a fireplace or radiator.

4. Check whether your ecobee and HVAC are compatible

There are some brands of furnaces and HVAC systems that an ecobee thermostat cannot control. If you’re having trouble with your ecobee but you’re using HVAC equipment that is not compatible, it may be best to talk to a professional.

If there is a problem with one of your sensors, you should change the location of the source or replace it if the issue continues.

If updating firmware didn’t fix your problem, try replacing it with a new one. Otherwise, you could consult an ecobee customer service for help troubleshooting your thermostat.

5. Ask for professional help

If the other suggestions don’t work, you can ask an ecobee tech professional to troubleshoot the issue at their service center. There is a fee for their services but you can always contact them directly to ask for help:

Remember that things that you cannot check can be the problem. If you are still looking for a solution to your problem, it may be more costly in the long run to replace your ecobee thermostat than to fix it yourself. We have a full guide on troubleshooting your ecobee thermostat if it doesn’t turn on the fan or AC.

Why Does the Ecobee Thermostat Turn On the Fan But Not the AC? Conclusion

Ecobee thermostats work really well with a specific HVAC system. And this is why you must be careful when you install your thermostat — especially if you install a secondary sensor in your home. There are more than enough guides on troubleshooting and fixing problems associated with the ecobee thermostat and its sensors.

In this guide, we have listed the most common problems people face with their ecobee. We hope that our guide will help you find a solution to fix any issues that may occur with your ecobee thermostat’s remote sensors or fan/AC setup.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our “Why is my Ecobee not cooling to set temperature?” article here!

Recent Posts