I have a central heat pump, a mini-split, and a furnace/boiler as Aux heat in my home. How can I effectively use Cielo Linked to reduce my energy bills?

Aux heat kicks in when the outside temperature falls below a certain temperature range, and your heat pump cannot maintain your desired home temperature efficiently. Since Aux heat consumes significantly more energy, you must run it only when absolutely necessary.

If you have a Cielo Smart Thermostat connected to your central HVAC and your Aux heating system (furnace/boiler) and Cielo Breez Max connected to your mini-split, you can follow the below steps to ensure a comfortable and energy-efficient home.

Step 1: Go to 'Menu' and select ‘HVAC Settings’.

Step 2: Select ‘Threshold Settings’.
Step 3: Select ‘Heat Pump’.

Step 4: Tap the arrow up icon twice to set the ‘Minimum Outdoor Temperature’ to 5F.

Note: Refer to your heat pump user manual for specific information about the minimum outdoor temperature your heat pump can operate in, and select the least possible value).

Turn off the mini-split heat pump when the outside temperature falls below 5F.
(The heating capacity of a mini-split decreases in extremely cold climate conditions. This temperature may vary depending on your mini-split OEM type. Refer to your mini-split user manual for specific information about the minimum outdoor temperature your unit can operate in.)

Step 1: Open the Cielo Home app. Tap ‘Menu’ on the home screen, then tap ‘Explore’.
Step 2: Tap the ‘+’ icon, then ‘Select a trigger’. 

Step 3: Select Cielo Thermostat as the triggering device and tap ‘Next’.
Step 4: Select ‘Outdoor temperature’ and set it to ‘falls below 5F’. Tap ‘Next’.

Step 5: Tap on ‘Select an action’.
Step 6: Select Breez Max, tap ‘Next’, then ‘Change settings’.

Step 7: Set ‘AC State’ to ‘Power Off’. Tap ‘Next’ and then ‘Create Link’.

Now, when the outside temperature falls below 5F (or the value that you’ve set), your thermostat will turn off your central heat pump and turn on your furnace that is set up as Aux heat. Simultaneously, your mini-split heat pump will also turn off to avoid unnecessary energy usage.

Turn the mini-split heat pump back ON when the outside temperature returns to suitable conditions.

You can create another link that automatically turns on your mini-split heat pump when the outdoor temperature returns to suitable conditions. 

Step 1: Open the Cielo Home app. Tap on ‘Menu’ on the home screen and then tap ‘Explore’.
Step 2: Tap the ‘+’ icon and ‘Select a trigger’.

Step 3: Select Cielo Thermostat as the triggering device and tap ‘Next’.
Step 4: Select ‘Outdoor temperature’ and set it to ‘goes above 20F’. Tap ‘Next’.

Step 5: Next, tap on ‘Select an action’.
Step 6: Select Breez Max, tap ‘Next’, then ‘Change settings’.

Step 7: Set the ‘AC State’ to ‘Power On’. Adjust heat settings according to your preferences.  Tap ‘Next’ and then ‘Create Link’.

Your Breez Max will now automatically turn on your mini-split as soon as the outdoor temperature goes above 20F. (You can change the outdoor temperature threshold depending on the climate conditions of your area.)

Maximize energy savings with optimal use of mini-split:
Now, when the outside weather conditions are favorable, and the mini-split alone can maintain your desired temperature, you can turn off your central heat pump to save energy. Here’s how you can do that using Cielo Linked.


Add an eSaver Preset.
Step 1: Select Cielo Thermostat from the control screen.
Step 2: Tap the settings icon and select ‘Presets’.

Step 3: Tap the ‘+’ icon, and set the Heating Set Point to 60F and the Cooling Set Point to 80F.
Note: You can keep any wide indoor temperature range of your choice for this preset (this is to stop the heat pump from kicking in and staying in an idle state). 

Step 4: You can name this preset ‘eSaver’. Tap on Save. 

Setting up a link to turn off the central heat pump when the mini-split is turned on:

Step 1: Open the Cielo Home app. Tap on ‘Menu’ on the home screen and then tap ‘Explore’.
Step 2: Tap the ‘+’ icon and ‘Select a trigger’.

Step 3: Select Breez Max as the triggering device and tap ‘Next’.
Step 4: Tap on ‘Power State’ and select ‘Powered On’. Tap ‘Next’.
Step 5: Tap on ‘Select an action’.

Step 6: Select Cielo Thermostat and tap ‘Next’.
Step 7: Select ‘eSaver’ from the list of ‘Presets’. Tap ‘Next’ and ‘Create Link’.