Thermostat logic during months where you may need heat or AC on?

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1

So in the heat of summer and the cool of winter, its pretty easy. I have 4 temp points that I put into node red that get set on varying conditions:

  1. No one home
  2. Someone one home
  3. Night time
  4. Wakeup

These work great and without fault. That is, until about now when outside temps can range between 40F and 80F in a given week.

Now, if the thermostat was last set to HEAT because we had a very chilly night, when we all leave the house the HEAT will get set to 76F. When in reality, this flow was meant to set the AC to 76F when we all leave the house.

How are you guys handling these weeks where you may need heat or AC on?

Right now I was thinking about implenting a flow where it checks the inside temp, checks the outside temp, and then make a decision based on those if the HEAT should be turned on or the AC should be. But was looking for how others are doing it.

2

I’d say you want to automate whatever you’d be doing manually if it weren’t for the automation.

We haven’t had the AC or the heat on in a few weeks. We’ve been managing by just opening or closing windows when we’re home, and leaving everything closed up when we’re away.

During these in-between seasons, there’s no risk of frozen pipes or a sweltering house. We’d only turn on either system if we were home and needed it. So maybe have your automation do the same thing.

3

My heatpump has an auto setting which heats when it needs to and cools when it needs to.