Vivint Thermostat Not Heating or Cooling? (Solved)

So you’re looking for tips to troubleshoot heating/cooling issues with your Vivint thermostat. You’re on the right page.

In the following paragraphs, we explain why your Vivint thermostat isn’t cooling/heating and what you can do to combat the problem. Let’s get started!

Here are common reasons why your Vivint thermostat isn’t heating or cooling:

The batteries in your thermostat have reached the end of their lifespan.
You inserted your thermostat wires in the wrong terminals.
The thermostat mode is set to ‘off’.
Your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) system is faulty.

Keep reading to see how to troubleshoot this issue.

Table of Contents

Vivint Thermostat Not Heating or Cooling: Try These Troubleshooting Tips

1. Check Your Vivint Thermostat Mode

Your Vivint thermostat has four modes; HEAT, COOL, HEAT & COOL (auto), and OFF. Here is how each mode functions:

HEAT: The thermostat will turn on your heating system based on the set temperature.
COOL: The thermostat will turn on your cooling system based on the set temperature.
HEAT and COOL (auto): The thermostat will alternate between Heat and Cool mode.
OFF: The thermostat will turn off your heating/cooling system.

So, if your Vivint thermostat isn’t heating or cooling, check whether the mode is off and change it to either Heat or Cool.

You can also set the thermostat to alternate between Heat and Cool by selecting the “Heat and Cool” option.

Here is how to change the mode on your Vivint thermostat:

Open the Vivint app.
Tap on the thermostat icon at the bottom of the screen.
Next, click on the Settings icon at the top right part of the screen.
You’ll see a list of options under Settings. Choose Mode then, change it to your preferred mode.

Your Vivint thermostat will now function based on the mode you set.

However, if you’ve set the thermostat to your desired temperature, but you still don’t feel anything (heat/cool), continue to the next troubleshooting steps.

2. Change the Batteries in Your Thermostat

Your Vivint thermostat gets power from its batteries. So, if the batteries in the Vivint thermostat are weak, the thermostat may develop functional problems. One of these problems is a failure to heat or cool.

If your Vivint thermostat isn’t heating or cooling, you may need to replace its batteries.

Follow these steps to change the batteries in your Vivint thermostat:

Pull the Vivint thermostat out of its mounting plate.
Turn the thermostat over to reveal its battery compartment.
Remove the batteries from the compartment.
Wait for 30 seconds.
Now, place the new batteries in the compartment. Your Vivint thermostat requires 4 AA batteries to function properly.
Remount your Vivint thermostat to its mounting plate.

Your Vivint thermostat should start cooling and heating after you replace its batteries.

3. Insert Your Vivint Thermostat’s Wires in the Correct Terminals

Your Vivint thermostat contains several wires, such as the W wire; which controls heat, and RH, which powers the heating system. All these wires need to be inserted into their appropriate terminals for the thermostat to run properly.

If your Vivint thermostat isn’t heating or cooling, you may have inserted the thermostat’s wires in the wrong terminal. Connect the wires in their appropriate terminals to resolve the issue. Each wire is labeled with a specific letter, like W, Y, and G. Insert all the wires in terminals with matching letters.

More so, some wires may have loosened. Check and insert them properly.

If you think you can’t handle the wires, call an electrician for help.

4. Reset Your Circuit Breaker

Sometimes, your Vivint thermostat may fail to heat or cool your room because the thermostat, heating, and cooling systems do not get enough power. This may occur when the circuit breaker is faulty.

If your Vivint thermostat isn’t heating or cooling, you might need to reset your circuit breaker.

Follow these steps to reset your Thermostat’s Circuit Breaker:

Turn off the Vivint thermostat’s switch.
Go to the electric panel to turn off the circuit breaker. There are 3 positions in the circuit breaker: On, Off, or Center.
Move the circuit breaker lever to the center.
Then, turn the switch off. After a few seconds, flip the circuit breaker switch back on.
You have reset the circuit breaker.

5. Factory Reset Your Vivint Thermostat

Have you tried all the tips above without getting any results? Then, you need to reset your Vivint thermostat.

Take the steps below to factory reset your Vivint thermostat:

Press the Side button on your Vivint thermostat’s Home screen. Then, hold it for 3 seconds.
Next, press the Down button to choose Reset. Then, tap the Side button. Repeat this action 2 more times.
The system will ask you to confirm whether you want to reset the thermostat. Tap on the Down button, then press the Side button to ensure that you want to reset your Vivint thermostat.
The thermostat will start resetting.

6. Run a Test on Your HVAC System

Is your Vivint thermostat still not heating or cooling? Then, you may need to test your HVAC with your Vivint thermostat.

The HVAC is the collection of your heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. While the thermostat works to regulate the temperature in your home, these systems provide the hot or cool air you need.

So, if your thermostat won’t heat or cool, the problem may be with your HVAC.

But first, you have to run a test on your HVAC to check if the system is faulty. You can run this test with your Vivint thermostat.

Here’s how to do it:

Press the Side button on the Vivint thermostat. Then, hold it for 10 seconds. The Settings menu should appear while you are holding the side button.
Tap the Down button to scroll through the Settings option to User. Once you find the User option, press the Right button to select it.
Next, tap the Down or Up button until you find Testing. Then, press the Right button to select it.
Scroll through the Testing options to find Heat or Cool. Press the right button to select this option.
Tap on the right button again to choose Start.
Your Vivint thermostat will now run a test to check whether the HVAC is working perfectly. Tap on Done when the test is complete.

If the test fails, your HVAC may be faulty. Ask your HVAC technician to fix the system for you.

Wrapping Up

So that’s how to troubleshoot heating/cooling issues with your Vivint thermostat.

As mentioned earlier, if the problem persists after trying all the troubleshooting steps, run a test on the thermostat and have a licensed HVAC professional fix your HVAC system.

You may also like to see how to troubleshoot incorrect temperature readings and offline issues in a Vivint thermostat.