Why Does My Thermostat Say Wait

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Honeywell is a growing brand in the smart home industry, offering a wide range of smart Wi-Fi thermostats with room sensors and humidification control.

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It is an excellent choice for taking control of your home’s comfort and minimizing energy costs.

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I have used the Honeywell Thermostat without a C-Wire for years and am satisfied with my day-to-day experience.

However, electronic devices can occasionally run into some problems, like the Honeywell Thermostat Wait message.

The Honeywell Thermostat ‘Wait’ message indicates that your thermostat is waiting to activate the HVAC system.

It protects your HVAC system compressor from undue damage caused by fluctuating voltage.

But sometimes, it just remains on the screen while your HVAC system is off.

To save you from the effort of browsing dozens of web pages over the internet, I have compiled several ways you can resolve the Honeywell Thermostat Wait message.

To fix the Honeywell Thermostat Wait Message, first, try waiting for five minutes to see if the problem resolves itself.

If not, try changing the batteries and resetting the breakers. If it’s an internet connectivity issue, try restarting your Wi-Fi router and the thermostat itself. Reset the Wi-Fi settings on the thermostat too.

Type 1: System not heating or cooling

What does “Wait” or “Waiting for Equipment” mean?

Your Honeywell Thermostat displays the “Wait” or “Waiting for Equipment” message when it is waiting to activate the HVAC system.

Your thermostat is a device that controls your home’s HVAC system. So, it tells the HVAC system when to start cooling or heating and when to stop.

It is critical because it dictates how the compressor in your HVAC system will be used.

The compressor is one of the most important elements of your HVAC system.

The purpose of the Honeywell Thermostat Wait mechanism is to ensure that your HVAC system compressor keeps functioning properly.

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You see, your HVAC system needs some to adjust after being switched on, usually a few minutes.

If your thermostat activates the compressor too early, it can damage the HVAC system. This damage can result in “short cycling”.

What is Short Cycling?

Short cycling is a malfunction in HVAC and electronic equipment. During short cycling, your HVAC system could suddenly switch on and off without warning.

The Honeywell Thermostats are designed to prevent this from happening. By allowing your HVAC system a few minutes to settle down, thermostats prevent fluctuating voltage from damaging the HVAC system’s compressor.

Honeywell Thermostats have a unique “Wait” feature, where these devices make the HVAC system compressor wait five minutes to prevent short cycling.

Now that you know why your thermostat is showing the Wait message, it’s time to fix the problem.

Just try the steps below to resolve the Wait signal.

Step 1 – Try Waiting for the Issue to Resolve Itself

To fix the Honeywell Thermostat Wait message, all you might have to do is wait up to five minutes.

Yes, Honeywell Thermostats require five minutes (or even less) to get your system ready while protecting it from major issues like short cycling.

All you need to do is relax, grab a cup of coffee and go around doing your usual stuff.

You don’t even need to glue yourself to the thermostat. Just leave it as is, and your system will automatically start working in no time!

Step 2 – Change the Batteries

Is your thermostat still showing the Wait signal after waiting for 5 minutes?

Usually, this indicates a bigger problem, like a weak battery. This is the first thing you should do if the Wait message lingers for more than 5 minutes.

When your thermostat has a low battery, it may not have enough power to activate your HVAC system.

So your heating and cooling systems will never start, and the Wait message won’t go away.

If you look closely, you may find a Low Battery indicator on Honeywell Thermostats.

Your Honeywell thermostat will have two parts, a cover plate and a base plate (tightly attached to the wall).

Locate and pull off the cover plate of your thermostat. It will usually be on top of the base plate.

Just take out the old batteries and replace them with new ones. I’ve put together a more comprehensive battery replacement guide for Honeywell Thermostats.

It’s possible that your Honeywell Thermostat stops working after changing the batteries.

In case your thermostat runs on 24 VAC instead of batteries, you should check the wiring.

Power off your HVAC system to protect the equipment and detach the thermostat.

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Once you’re done, see if the C-wire is installed correctly.

Step 3 – Reset the Breakers

Resetting your HVAC equipment from the circuit breaker can help you fix the Wait message if changing the batteries does not work.

But first, you must turn off your HVAC equipment and thermostat.

Once that’s done, find the controls for the HVAC equipment and power them off.

After that, wait for approximately 10-30 seconds and then switch them back on, this time in the reverse order. Issues with equipment’s connections or circuits may be stopping them from working, resulting in your thermostat’s Wait signal.

Step 4 – Check the Voltage

Sometimes, you may have to reset your equipment circuits and wait up to 30 minutes for the previous trick to work.

If it still doesn’t work, then there might be a short circuit or issues with the wiring or fuses.

Therefore, it’s important to check the voltage. However, for that, you will need a multimeter or voltmeter.

However, we recommend that you do this only if you are comfortable working with electronics. Otherwise, it’s best to leave it to the experts.

At this point, your HVAC system might be plagued with issues like faulty, improper, or loose wiring, inconsistent voltage, as well as several other electrical problems.

These issues can lead to greater malfunctions if not resolved immediately. So, it’s better to consult a professional.

Type 2: Connecting to Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostats

As mentioned before, the newer models of Honeywell thermostats can connect to your home’s Wi-Fi and become a part of your smart home ecosystem.

If you own such a device and see the Wait signal on your device, it might be due to a range of problems related to your Wi-Fi connection.

It may happen when you connect to a new Wi-Fi network, and the Honeywell Thermostat is verifying it.

Maybe the thermostat is trying to update the software by connecting to relevant servers.

In such a case, the Wait message will go away in a few moments.

However, it’s also possible that connectivity is weak, either of your network or the thermostat.

In most cases, your thermostat will show you the relevant connection error, making it easier to identify what’s causing the problem.

However, if the Wait signal does not go away after a few minutes, it’s best to try the following steps.

Step 1: Restart your Wi-Fi router

Restarting your router can be surprisingly effective in fixing connection issues. To restart your router, follow the steps below:

Just unplug your router (if you have a modem, unplug that too).
Users with modems can plug it in after waiting approximately one minute.
Switch on the power button if there is one.
Wait for one minute more and plug in the network router
Wait for some time, and then check your thermostat again.

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Step 2: Restart thermostat

If the Wait Message remains after trying all these troubleshooting tips, something is wrong with the thermostat.

It would be best if you tried restarting it. Doing so will reset any processes that are lagging your smart thermostat.

The easiest way to restart a thermostat is to detach it from the wall plate and reattach it again after waiting for a few minutes.

However, this might not work for some models. To learn how to restart your thermostat, you can refer to your device’s manual.

You could also check out our comprehensive guide on resetting Honeywell Thermostats.

Step 3: Reset Wi-Fi settings on the thermostat

Resetting your thermostat’s Wi-Fi settings can also fix the Honeywell Thermostat Wait message since it clears the connection information.

Each Honeywell Thermostat has a different way to change Wi-Fi settings. Therefore, referring to the user manual is the best way to change your thermostat’s Wi-Fi settings.

You can also check out our guide to fixing connection issues with Honeywell Thermostats.

Final Thoughts

Waiting for your HVAC system to work is frustrating. However, Honeywell Thermostat’s Wait feature is essential for protecting your HVAC system from undue damage.

It is a small inconvenience but can ensure your HVAC system’s safety against short-cycling and several other issues.

After trying out these steps and resolving the error, I was able to continue to enjoy the energy-efficiency and Remote Access feature of my Honeywell Thermostat.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you reset a Honeywell thermostat?

Resetting your Honeywell thermostat will revert it to its original factory settings. Follow the steps below to reset your thermostat.

Open the Menu of your thermostat
Toggle to “Reset” by pressing the arrow or the relevant button.
Select “Factory” and choose “Yes” to confirm your decision.

Why does my thermostat say wait permanent hold?

Your thermostat says permanent hold when you disable the automatic temperature setting.

Normally, your thermostat will adjust the temperature according to an occupancy sensor or the time of day.

In case you don’t want the temperature to change, you can push the hold key to create a set point on your thermostat.

Doing so will configure the thermostat to maintain the temperature your thermostat is displaying at that time.

You can press the hold key again to enable the automatic function of your thermostat.

How long does a temporary hold last on Honeywell thermostat?

Any temperature you set through the hold button will allow the HVAC system to maintain that temperature for less than 12 hours.

You can also revert to automatic settings by canceling temporary hold through the hold key.

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Type 1: System not heating or cooling