For smart thermostats like the Ecobee which run their own schedule, automating by changing the hot and cool setpoints turns the thermostat into a dumb thermostat. I lose out on being able to override the scheduled temperature with a custom temperature range or preset, as the automation will override these settings.
I realized it would be better not to edit the current temperature, but to edit the home preset’s temperature on the Ecobee. If the device is running the home preset, my automations take effect. If it’s not, the automation’s changes don’t take effect until the thermostat goes back to the home preset.
Since no service for changing preset temperatures exists, I am working on adding this functionality to the Ecobee integration. However, this concept applies to any climate sensor out there, so I’m considering making this a climate service rather than an Ecobee service. Do other thermostat platforms support changing the preset temperatures? And if this sounds interesting, would anyone be interested in implementing this climate service in other integrations?