Have you ever looked at your thermostat and seen the words Recovery Mode on the display? It can seem ominous if you don’t know what it means. Is there a problem? What does your thermostat need to recover from? Here’s how thermostat recovery mode works and what it means for your home and HVAC system.
Your Thermostat Settings
If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, you’re probably used to two basic settings: Comfort mode is when the system is heating or cooling your home to its ideal temperature. Then when you go out, it goes into energy-saving mode, a few degrees cooler or warmer than your desired temperature, so you’re not paying to heat or cool an empty house.
Recovery mode is a relatively new feature: a transitional setting between energy-saving and comfort modes. It indicates that the system is “recovering” from its power-conservation setting and is now in the process of heating or cooling your home again.
Recovery Mode typically kicks in a few minutes before your scheduled arrival time, so the house is at the right temperature when you get there. Therefore, you’re most likely to see it when you get home or if your schedule changes.
When Thermostat Recovery Is a Problem
In most cases, thermostat recovery mode is nothing to worry about. It just means the thermostat is doing its job. However, if you’re experiencing thermostat recovery at odd hours of the day, such as when you’ve been home for a while and the system shouldn’t have been in energy-saving mode, it may mean the scheduling is off.
This is typically the result of a power surge, a battery issue, or another glitch erasing your settings and returning to its default. You can usually fix it by reprogramming your preferred schedule. However, if this doesn’t help or your thermostat seems to be in recovery mode all the time, it may indicate a bigger problem. At this point, you should call your HVAC technician to check it out.
To ensure the most efficient thermostat settings for your home, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We provide quality HVAC services to Indianapolis and the surrounding area.
