Is your Hive thermostat not turning heating on, and you are wondering what could be wrong?
We understand how frustrating it must be to come into a cold home and realise that the heating was not working the entire time.
Well, if this happened or you’ve just discovered that the heating is not working on your Hive thermostat, then this guide is just for you, so keep reading further…
When the Hive thermostat is not turning on the heat, you must inspect the battery and determine whether the thermostat is correctly measuring the temperature.
Let’s continue to unwrap!
Hive Thermostat Not Turning on Heat – Why?
When speaking about problems with a wireless home Hive thermostat, relatively few things could go wrong.
One of the most frequent suspects is the poor internet connection because the Hive thermostat operates remotely via a Hub and mobile app.
If the thermostat loses its connection with the hub, it won’t make proper contact with the app and schedules and won’t turn on the heating.
Here is a list of all possible causes that prevent the thermostat from turning heat on:
We’ll focus on these possibilities further in the guide, so let’s jump right in!
Hive Thermostat Not Turning Heating On – 7 Ways to Fix!
Tip: Follow each method consecutively!
1. Check your Network Connection!
Hive thermostats rely entirely on a WiFi connection. This means that you must ensure a stable internet connection both for the thermostat and the Hive app.
So, start by checking the internet connection on your thermostat and all other devices because if your wireless thermostat loses its connection with the hub or app, it won’t turn on the heating.
Here is how you can check the internet connection:
- First, grab your phone with the Hive app installed.
- Make sure your phone is connected to the WiFi.
- Open the web browser on the Hive mobile phone.
- Try surfing online while connected to the WiFi.
If everything is correctly loading, this means your internet is operational.
In such a case, you need to power cycle your broadband router because it is common in devices to sometimes encounter network issues.
Info: Power cycling the router resets the connection and optimises the internet!
How to Power Cycle the Router?
- Unplug your WiFi router from the wall outlet.
- Leave the router unplugged for 3 – 5 minutes.
- Plug your WiFi router directly into the outlet.
Note: When you plug in your router, you must wait a few minutes so the device boots up entirely and establishes the connection with the Hub.
2. Check the Hive Service Status!
The heating on a Hive thermostat might not turn on due to communication problems in the Hive thermostat, Hive app and receiver.
- Communication faults may arise due to Hive service outage.
Checking for service outages is worth giving a shot because sometimes the Hive service itself goes down, which prevents the thermostat and app from working.
This is an excellent option to identify the root cause for the communication problem in your setup and save time and effort.
Follow these steps to check the Hive service status:
- First, open a web browser on your phone.
- Then, visit the Hive Service Status page.
- Check the status of the website and app.
If there is an outage for any Hive service, you may need to wait until the servers are back online and your setup functions correctly.
If there are no such service outages and your internet is also working fine, something else may be causing the problem, so continue reading further ahead…
3. Update the Hive App Version
If you are using an outdated version of the Hive app, the thermostat is miscommunicating and not turning on the heat when it’s supposed to.
Hence, it is crucial to download the latest version of the Hive app so that any instructions you set into the app will be correctly registered.
Here is how you can update your Hive app version:
- Grab your phone with the Hive app installed.
- Ensure your mobile is connected to the WiFi.
- Then, head to the Play Store or App Store.
- Search for the “Hive” app in the search bar.
- When the Hive shows, tap on the app name.
- Check for the “Update” button for the Hive app.
If the update is available, press the “Update” button to install the latest version under the app, and if there is no such button, you’re up to date.
When ready, launch the Hive app, refresh the dashboard page, and check to see if your Hive thermostat is working and turning the heat on.
Tip: Uninstalling and reinstalling the Hive app guarantees that you’re up to date!
4. Inspect Your Hub’s Location!
This sounds a little weird, but the position of your Hive Hub can make a big difference in your Hive thermostat performance.
The thermostat communicates with the Hive app using an internet connection from the hub, which is directly connected to your broadband WiFi router.
- So, it’s worth checking, especially if you have moved the hub to a different location recently or the device is in a cupboard, drawer, or behind curtains.
If you have done so, then this is why the thermostat is not correctly working due to communication disruption or a severe signal loss.
Tip: Try moving your Hub to an open and centralised location!
5. Replace the Thermostat Batteries
If you haven’t installed the fresh batteries in your device for a long time, then maybe this is why your Hive thermostat not turning on heat.
Hence, the solution is simply to replace the batteries in your thermostat with new ones to restore communication with the app and fix the heating!
Here’s how you can change your thermostat batteries:
- Push the tab on your Hive thermostat base.
- Hold and unmount the device from the wall.
- Open the back plate of your Hive thermostat.
- Remove the previously installed batteries.
- Then, install the fresh set of 4 x AA batteries.
- Close the back plate of your Hive thermostat.
- Reconnect the thermostat back onto its base.
This will automatically restart your Hive thermostat and establish a connection with the Hub and thermostat receiver.
The heating problem should now be gone, so feel free to perform your tests, and in case the issue persists, continue reading further.
6. Power Cycle Your Hive Hub!
If everything is in working order, but your Hive thermostat’s heating is still not working, you must try rebooting the hub.
This is an ideal step because the Hub is the central component for your all Hive ecosystem, so rebooting it will clear out all temporary faults with all the connected devices.
- To power cycle your Hive Hub, unplug the device for 60 seconds!
After that, open the updated version of the Hive app and refresh the dashboard page within the app.
This will automatically update all new settings from the app to the Hive thermostat and get your entire setup back on track.
Reminder: Double-check the connection from the Hive Hub!
7. Reset Your Hive Receiver!
If you’ve tried all the steps from the guide but still have no success, you need to reset your Hive receiver.
This is an excellent workaround because the receiver is directly connected to the boiler, which further communicates with your Hive thermostat and controls your heating system.
Here are the simple steps to reset your Hive receiver:
Step #1 Reset the Hive Receiver
- First, turn off the boiler from the HVAC isolation switch.
- Wait for a few seconds, and then turn the boiler back on.
- You should see pink and green lights on the Hive receiver.
- Press and hold the centre heating button on the receiver.
- Keep pressing the button until the light status flashes pink.
- Release the heating button and then hold the same button.
- Wait until the status light on the receiver starts flashing amber.
Step #2 Reconnect the Hive Receiver
- Open the updated version of the Hive app.
- Press the “Install Devices” button in the app.
- Tap on “Add Another Device” on the screen.
- Next, press the “Go” button to start searching.
- Wait until the receiver lights change to amber.
- Press the “Back arrow” and “Menu” buttons.
- Release when you see “Welcome searching.”
Once the “Search” message disappears from the thermostat screen, the status light on your receiver will turn green.
After that, wait for 5 to 10 minutes and then open the Hive app and refresh the dashboard page to test whether the heating is now working.
Reminder: When you see that your thermostat is displaying the inside temperature, try to turn the heating on.
Quick Recap:
Whenever the Hive thermostat not turning heating on, first check the Hive service status, and power cycle of the Hub, and the WiFi router.
Then, update the Hive app version, and if the problem is persistent, perform a factory reset on your receiver to solve the heating!
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.