ecobee Not Heating or Cooling? Start With the Flame or Snowflake

The Short Answer

The ecobee tells you whether it is trying to heat or cool. ecobee says that when it calls for heat, the flame icon turns orange or an orange line appears around the edge; when it calls for cooling, the snowflake or ring turns blue. A white icon means it is not calling. That splits the problem in two:

1. The Icon Is White: Settings That Block the Call

1. System mode. Tap the mode icon at the top and make sure it is on Heat, Aux or Auto for heating, or Cool or Auto for cooling. If those options are missing, ecobee says there is a wiring issue or the thermostat needs reconfiguring.
2. The differential. The room has to be a little past the setpoint before ecobee calls. The default is 0.6–1°F, and ecobee adds another 1°F during Away periods. A room one degree off may simply not have crossed it yet.
3. The 5-minute delay (cooling). ecobee will not start a new cooling cycle until at least 5 minutes after the last one ended.
4. Time of Use or an energy event. With Time of Use set up, ecobee lets the temperature rise above the setpoint before cooling during peak hours. A utility Community Energy Savings event does something similar for a few hours.
5. Heat pump lockout. On a heat pump without backup heat, the Compressor Min Outdoor Temperature threshold stops the heat pump below 35°F by default. The same setting stops cooling in cold weather.
6. A hold or another app. A hold keeps a fixed temperature, and changes from Alexa, HomeKit or Google set one. See ecobee changing temperature by itself.

2. Test the Equipment Directly

Test mode takes the settings out of the picture and switches the equipment on. ecobee’s path: Main Menu → General → Settings → Installation Settings → Test Equipment → OK (Smart Thermostat Lite and Essential: Main Menu → Settings → Installation Settings → Test Equipment). Then choose:

• Furnace: Heat Stage 1 On, and check the vents for warm air after a couple of minutes.
• Heat pump: Heat Pump Heat (or Cool) Stage 1 On, and confirm the outdoor unit is running and its fan is turning.
• Backup heat: Aux Stage 1 On.
• Air conditioner: Cool Stage 1 On, but ecobee notes it is generally not recommended to run an A/C below 60°F outside.

If test mode produces heat or cooling, the equipment is fine and the cause is in Section 1. If not, carry on.

3. It Is Calling, but No Air Comes Out

ecobee’s troubleshooting steps for this case:

1. Pull the thermostat gently off the wall and tug each wire. Reseat any that are loose by pressing the tab, sliding the wire out and back in.
2. Take a photo of the wiring and put the thermostat back.
3. Open Installation Settings → Equipment → Wiring. The highlighted terminals should match the photo. If they do not, choose Reconfigure Equipment and work through it.
4. Run test mode again.

Then check the equipment’s own power: ecobee’s first furnace step is to check the furnace breaker at the main panel. For a heat pump, check the outdoor disconnect too; heat pump not turning on has the full list. If the thermostat clicks and nothing happens at the unit, see thermostat clicks but nothing happens.

4. Air Is Moving, but the House Will Not Heat or Cool

• Heat pump in cold weather. ecobee notes heat pumps struggle to heat below their cut-off or balance point. If someone lowered or disabled the Compressor Min Outdoor Temperature threshold, ecobee suggests going back to the figure in the heat pump manual or on its specification sticker, or the default.
• Furnace error codes. Many furnaces show a light pattern or code; the furnace manual explains it.
• Furnace overheating. When a furnace overheats, its safety controls shut off the heat and the blower may keep running to cool it. ecobee lists clogged filters and blocked air intakes as common causes. On an electric furnace this can cut power to the ecobee too, so the screen goes dark until it cools.
• Cooling problems. ecobee suggests checking for ice or water around the equipment (a drainage or refrigerant sign), dirty units and filters, and whether it is outside the system’s recommended temperature range. Extreme heat makes any AC run long.

If the ecobee is calling, the wiring and setup are right, and the equipment still does not deliver, it is time for an HVAC technician. Bring the wiring photo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my ecobee not turning on the heat?

Check that the flame icon is orange. If it is white, check the mode, the 0.6–1°F differential and, on a heat pump, the Compressor Min Outdoor Temperature lockout (35°F by default). If it is orange and nothing happens, check the wiring, the configuration and the furnace breaker.

Why is my ecobee not cooling?

If the snowflake is white, it is not calling: check the mode, the differential, the 5-minute delay after the last cycle, and Time of Use or energy events. If it is blue and no cool air comes out, run test mode, then check wiring and the outdoor unit’s power.

How do I test my ecobee heating or cooling?

Go to Main Menu, General, Settings, Installation Settings, Test Equipment, then switch on Heat, Heat Pump or Cool Stage 1 and check the vents and the outdoor unit.

Why does my ecobee say heat on but blows cold air?

On a heat pump in winter it may be a defrost cycle. If it blows cool air every time it heats, and warm air when cooling, the O/B reversing valve setting is reversed.

Related Guides

• Heat pump not turning on — power, delays and lockouts
• Heat pump heating instead of cooling — the O/B setting
• ecobee stuck on Calibrating or rebooting — power problems
• Smart thermostat troubleshooting — every fix guide by symptom

Sources

• ecobee: Heating basics and FAQ
• ecobee: Cooling basics and FAQ
• ecobee: Troubleshooting heating issues
• ecobee: Threshold settings