Honeywell Thermostat Says Wait/Leave/Hold/ Sleep/Return!

By - Rajib Ahmed

Updated -

One of the most impressive features of a Honeywell thermostat is that it allows you to set temperature schedules for your house.

This means you can relax whenever you need to change the thermostat settings.

Meanwhile, understanding your thermostat language and how it works is essential to make its operation easy and stress-free.

And this leads to this question, why does a thermostat say wait/ leave/ hold/ sleep/ return?

If your thermostat says wait/ leave/ hold/ sleep/ return, it has received a command from someone, and it’s trying to process or obey the command. Therefore, if your thermostat displays any of the words, it’s nothing you should worry about.

In this article, I will explain in detail why your Honeywell thermostat says any of these words; wait/leave/hold/sleep/return. 

Thus, keep reading this article to learn more.

Why Does My Honeywell Thermostat Say “Wait”?

Honeywell Thermostat Says Wait/ Leave/ Hold/ Sleep /Return

First, it’s important to note that a Honeywell thermostat is just like a computer that performs any operation it receives from its operator. 

Your thermostat cannot operate and can’t just say “wait” if you or any other person hasn’t pressed something on it.

Hence, if your Honeywell thermostat says “wait,” it means you changed the thermostat from the “heat” mode to “cool” mode or vice versa. 

Once you switch the thermostat between the modes, it responds to the operation by displaying “wait” for a moment. 

When the thermostat displays “wait,” you should know that it’s only trying to process the command, i.e., it’s trying to switch between the heat and cool modes.

Also, the thermostat will try to protect the compressor and prevent your “heating” and “cooling” system from developing any problems, and during the period, it displays “wait.”

And after the thermostat switches between modes, the “wait” will disappear.

Regardless, even if your thermostat displays “wait,” it doesn’t stop it from receiving new commands, which means you can still change the mode or perform any other operation you like.

Therefore, if your Honeywell thermostat says “wait,” it doesn’t call for panic, and it’s a sign that your thermostat is working as it should.

Why Does My Honeywell Thermostat Say “Leave”?

“Leave” is one of the settings on your Honeywell thermostat to which you can set your thermostat temperature. 

The term “leave” on your thermostat means when you will be away from the house. 

This setting is energy-saving, i.e., it allows you to save energy on your thermostat, especially when you won’t need it, for instance, if you’re not around in the house.

Directly, the setting also saves you from spending unnecessary money.

So, if your thermostat says “leave,” it means it has received a command from you or any other person to change to the “leave” setting for energy-saving purposes.

You can also change your thermostat settings to “leave” whenever you vacation or trip.

Why Does My Honeywell Thermostat Say “Hold”?

Your Honeywell thermostat says “hold” because it has received a command to override your programmed schedule to manually set a new temperature for a fixed or indefinite period.

Meaning you or someone has commanded the thermostat to deviate from the initial programmed schedule and maintain the house at a particular new temperature.

A Honeywell thermostat has two hold settings: temporary and permanent. 

One of the main advantages of the hold feature is that you can change the temperature of your house for a fixed or indefinite period.

You can easily change the temperature without tampering with your programmed schedule.

So, before using any of the settings on your thermostat, i.e., the temporary and permanent hold, you must understand how each of them works.

As the name implies, the “temporary hold” feature allows you to override the initial programmed schedule on your thermostat and set the thermostat to a new temperature for a fixed period.  

This setting means that your thermostat will maintain the house at the new chosen temperature until the next programmed period or until you manually change the temperature or cancel the temporary hold.

You should note that a temporary hold can only last for 11 hours. 

Once it reaches 11 hours, the thermostat will adjust to maintain the house according to the initial programmed schedule.

On the other hand, the permanent hold feature allows you to override the initial programmed schedule on your thermostat to a new temperature for an indefinite period.

Meaning your thermostat will maintain the house at the new chosen temperature for an indefinite period.

The thermostat can even maintain the permanent hold change forever unless you change the temperature, cancel the hold, or if there is a power issue.

However, if perhaps, you’re not the one that activated the “hold” feature on your thermostat, you can easily deactivate the hold.

Simply follow the instructions below:

  • Some thermostat models have the “cancel the hold” button for a temporary hold. If your thermostat has the option, press the button to deactivate the hold.
  • However, if you don’t have the “cancel the hold” button, press “run.”
  • Next, choose the “cancel” option.
  • Choose the “run schedule” option.
  • Then, choose the “use schedule” option.
  • Next, choose the “remove hold” option. Some models have theirs as “cancel the hold.”
  • The process above should deactivate the “temporary hold” on your Honeywell thermostat.

To deactivate the permanent hold, follow the same steps as deactivating the temporary hold.

But, if the method doesn’t work, follow the below instructions:

  • First, press the +/- or up/down button.
  • Next, press the “cancel hold” or “remove hold” option, depending on your Honeywell thermostat model.
  • The “permanent hold” setting must have been deactivated. 

In conclusion, if your Honeywell thermostat displays “hold,” it simply depicts what you set it to. Therefore, you must have switched the thermostat to the “hold” setting.

Why Does My Honeywell Thermostat Say “Sleep”?

Your Honeywell thermostat says “sleep” because you set the thermostat to the sleep” mode.

The sleep setting represents the period when the thermostat isn’t awake, which means the thermostat will not change your house temperature during that time.

It’s an energy-saving period on your thermostat and reduces unnecessary bills.

To understand the sleep setting better, you must first understand what the “wake” setting means and how it works.

The wake setting on your Honeywell thermostat is when the thermostat turns on the heating/cooling system after any energy-efficient setting that you’ve programmed.

So, you can easily change the thermostat settings from sleep mode to wake mode whenever you like, or the setting will change automatically whenever the time you set ends. 

Also, you can perform any other operation or change the settings to your preference afterward.

However, if your Honeywell thermostat still says “sleep” after trying to change the setting, you can eliminate the sleep by resetting the thermostat.

Resetting a Honeywell thermostat is quite simple; follow the instructions below:

  • First, ensure that you turn on the thermostat.
  • Next, hold the “menu” button for a few seconds.
  • Finally, choose the “reset” option on your thermostat screen.
  • Once you choose the “reset” option, the question “are you sure” will pop up on the screen; answer the question by pressing the “Yes” button. 
  • Your Honeywell thermostat must have reset, and the sleep setting you’re trying to eliminate must have disappeared.

Why Does My Honeywell Thermostat Say “Return”?

“Return” is one of the settings available on your Honeywell thermostat. So, if your Honeywell thermostat says “return,” you or someone must have set the thermostat to the return mode.

One of the purposes of the “return” mode on your thermostat is to allow you to save energy whenever you’re not around in the house. 

The return mode is when you programmed your thermostat to turn the heating/cooling system on after an energy-saving period, i.e., when you’re away from the house.

Adding an extra lead time is advisable when setting your thermostat to the return mode. 

The extra time allows your thermostat to start working, i.e., heating or cooling the house some minutes before you return to the house.

For instance, if you know you will arrive home by 8:00 pm, you should set at least 7:45 pm as your return time.

The purpose of the extra time is to keep your house cool or heated depending on the outside temperature before you return. 

Hence, if your thermostat displays “return,” it’s nothing to worry about as it’s a sign that your thermostat is responding to your programmed schedule.

The table below explains the differences between waiting, leaving, holding, sleeping, and returning on your Honeywell thermostat.

ModesDifferencesDifferences
WaitDisplays when you switch between the heating and cooling modes.It vanishes after the modes switch.
LeaveIt’s an energy-saving setting for periods when you’re out.It disappears when the set time elapses.
HoldIt allows you to override your initially programmed schedule to set the thermostat to a new temperature.It disappears when you manually change the temperature
SleepIt allows you to set your thermostat to your temperature preference before sleeping.It disappears when the programmed time elapses.
ReturnIt also allows you to set your thermostat to the period of your return time.It dissipates when the time is up.

You should know that none of these words, “wait, hold, sleep and return,” is harmful to your Honeywell thermostat; hence, they’re nothing to worry about. 

So, If your Honeywell thermostat displays any words (wait, hold, sleep and return), it is either processing or obeying the command you or any other person entered.

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