Ecobee smart thermostats are some of the most valuable devices you can add to your home or apartment.
You can even use your Ecobee to receive notifications from its smartphone app or Amazon’s Alexa.
But what is your Ecobee trying to tell you when it’s flashing yellow?
Your Ecobee is flashing yellow to inform you of a notification from the Ecobee smartphone app. The best way to clear the flashing yellow light is by checking the message on your phone or tablet. If your Ecobee still flashes yellow, you may have to reboot the device.
I’ll spend the rest of the article explaining how Ecobee connects to its smartphone app and the Amazon Alexa voice service.
Read on to discover the different notifications you may receive and how to maximize your savings and convenience with your new smart thermostat.
What Does a Pulsing Yellow Light Mean on an Ecobee?
A pulsing yellow light on your Ecobee device, per the Ecobee Support website, suggests there is a notification from the integrated smartphone app. The light continues to blink until you check the message, which is why some people notice their Ecobee blinking yellow for hours.
Ecobee Smart Thermostats and Notifications
When you invest in an Ecobee thermostat, you also receive access to the Ecobee smartphone application.
This app is installable on iOS and Android devices and allows you to control your device better.
The Ecobee smartphone also displays notifications for various events related to your smart thermostat.
You can enable or disable these notifications, depending on how you plan to use your device.
Per the official Ecobee support website, examples of notifications from the Ecobee app include:
- HVAC service
- Furnace filter
- UV lamp
- Low-temperature alert
- High-temperature alert
- Aux heat runtime alert
- Aux outdoor temperature alert
- Low/high humidity alert
The HVAC service alert informs you about the ideal time to schedule a professional maintenance check of your heating and cooling system.
A reminder also goes to the email you link to your Ecobee account.
Furnace filter is a useful alert if you want to know when to clean your furnace filter, while the UV lamp alert tells you when the system’s UV lamp requires cleaning.
The temperature alerts are active when the temperature goes above or below a certain level, which you can customize.
You can set low-temperature warnings between 35°F to 68°F (1.66°C to 20°C) and high-temperature alerts between 60°F to 104°F (15.55°C to 40°C).
If you have an auxiliary heat source set up with your HVAC system, the Aux heat runtime alert tells you if that heat source is running for longer than your configured setting.
Aux outdoor temperature alert is helpful for Ecobee owners who have an HVAC system with an auxiliary heat connection, as it alerts you when the outdoor temperature goes above a specific level.
Learn more: Why is your Ecobee blowing cold air?
What the Different Light Colors on Your Ecobee Device Mean
Ecobee Smart Thermostats display LED lights of different colors when they are conveying specific information.
Below are the different lights that may display on your Ecobee device and what they mean.
- Solid blue light: The blue light indicates that your Ecobee is listening for a command. If the light goes away, it means the device is no longer actively listening.
- Alternating light and dark blue lights: Such alternating lights indicate that the smart thermostat is processing information and speaking.
- Solid red light: When the microphone on your Ecobee is off, the device shows a solid red light that remains until you enable the mic again.
- Pulsing or solid green light: A solid or flashing green light indicates a notification from Alexa. The light will remain active until you clear the message on your Alexa app or ask Alexa to “delete all of my notifications.”
- Solid orange light: The orange light indicates that your Ecobee is ready for pairing.
- Pulsing orange light: A blinking orange light indicates that your Ecobee is pairing with another device.
Alexa on Your Ecobee Thermostat
Certain Ecobee thermostats, including the Ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice Control, Ecobee4, and Ecobee Switch+, come with Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service already built into the device’s operating system.
Every other Ecobee smart thermostat works with Amazon Echo, allowing you to receive Alexa notifications and communicate with the smart assistant through your thermostat.
Ecobee has put together an entire list of commands for Alexa to use with any of their smart thermostats.
Options include asking for the temperature, changing the temperature, and turning the device on or off.
If you own an Ecobee with Alexa built into the device, you can use additional commands such as canceling or resuming the temperature schedule, telling the device you are leaving or back home, and checking what equipment is running within your HVAC system.
Alexa Notifications
Aside from commanding your Ecobee smart thermostat through Alexa, you can also receive Alexa notifications on your device.
If Alexa is built into your Ecobee, the smart assistant can read out alerts and notifications you receive on your Alexa smartphone app.
You can even communicate with Alexa through your smart thermostat.
Ecobee devices that do not come with Alexa, but integrate with Amazon Echo, will only show a green light if there is an Alexa notification.
You must open up your Alexa app or talk to Amazon’s Echo device if you wish to read or hear this notification.
If you are unsure how to connect your Ecobee to Alexa, this is a handy YouTube guide from the One Hour Smart Home channel:
Rebooting an Ecobee Thermostat
Sometimes LED alerts stay on the Ecobee smart thermostat, even after you clear the notification or resolve the cause of the signal.
If your Ecobee continues to flash a particular light, you can quickly reboot the device.
Ecobee thermostats are very easy to reset. Per the official Ecobee support website, you can press and hold the main button for 5 seconds to initiate a restart.
Your smart thermostat should restart within a few minutes.
Depending on the model of Ecobee you own, you may have to press a small reset button on the bottom or back of the device to restart the thermostat.
Read also: 6 Odd Reasons Why Your Ecobee Is Running When It Shouldn’t
Choose the Best Smart Thermostat for Your Living Space
Smart thermostats are an effective way to reduce your monthly energy bills, as they automatically adjust the temperature in your living space when you are asleep or not at home.
According to engineering researchers Elahe Soltanaghaei and Kamin Whitehouse, limiting heating and cooling while people sleep can lower energy bills by up to 30 percent.
If you wish to lower your monthly energy bills, a smart thermostat is a wise investment.
Ecobee is one of the top manufacturers of smart thermostats, and they have a comprehensive lineup that caters to every use case and budget.
If you want a no-frills smart thermostat that gets the job done, the Ecobee Lite Smart Thermostat on Amazon.com is an excellent choice.
You can control the device from an Android or iOS smartphone and add as many SmartSensors as you prefer to regulate the temperature in your living spaces.
Those who wish to buy the very best can invest in the Ecobee SmartThermostat With Voice Control from Amazon.com.
The thermostat comes with a single SmartSensor and includes Amazon’s Alexa built-in.
Final Thoughts
A yellow flashing light on the Ecobee Smart Thermostat suggests you have a notification from the Ecobee app.
Clear the notification on the Ecobee smartphone app, and the yellow light blinking on your smart thermostat will disappear.
Depending on the model of Ecobee you are using, you may see notification lights of other colors, such as solid blue when the device is listening or solid red when the microphone is off.
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