Auxiliary heating using Its too Cold App

SmartApps & Automations
1

I have a house that is heated by wood and I want to use electric heating as a supplement for when the wood stove goes out during the night. I am using the It’s Too Cold App setting a minimum temperature to activate electric space heaters. For safety I use the Away mode to turn these heaters off when I am not home. The problem is when I return home, the mode properly changes back but the app does not reactivate the space heaters even though the temperature is below the threshold. I don’t want to arbitrarily turn the switch back on because there are many times the house temperature is above the minimum setting.

Shouldn’t the app be checking for mode changes? Is there something I am missing?

2

Hmm I have not used this app myself, does it work properly as long as you do not change modes?

3

Yes. This app is well established and has been part of SmartThings from the beginning.

4

If the programmer is listed in the app, perhaps he can direct or help you here. I have not had any issue with apps not working after a mode change.

Are you able to manually change modes, from Im home to away, and back and have it fail as well?

Looking to see if this might be something where ST is not passing a mode change event.

5

The Author of the app is SmartThings.
I can manually change modes and the status changes accordingly. I know modes are working as they should because of other tasks I have setup are properly functioning.

I suspect the problem is when I change my mode back to home it will not trigger the app until the temperature changes a degree. So what I am guessing is this; If the app sees a change in temperature it will trigger the app to check the threshold setting and and if below enable the switch. So if the temperature falls below the threshold while I am away, when I come back home and the temperature is stable it will never turn the switch on.

6

Sorry once again, I had no need for this app, so I have not used it. I suspect given what you have stated that your idea on how it works is correct.

Have you looked over the code to confirm your belief?

7

I have looked at the code and it has no handler for mode, but I see it calling a temperatureHandler for which I don’t have access to that code.

It seems to me that all apps and handlers should be mode aware and when there is a change the apps should check to see if the trigger condition is set for execution.

8

Well it seems that using the app “Its too cold” is not something you want to use with different modes. It appears that It’s Too Cold is one way and if it passes through the threshold while in a mode not monitored it will never activate unless it rises and then falls below the set threshold in a mode set within the app.

The Virtual Thermostat found under Green Living is what I had to switch to.