Jervis Systems offers a number of unique features for you to manage temperature controls automatically at your listings.
This guide outlines everything you need to know regarding connecting your thermostats, the different modes we offer, and our recommended temperatures that we have tested to trigger every time whether you plan to set up both heating and cooling settings, or just heating or cooling on their own. Finally, we include answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Click the links below to jump to the related section:
How to Set Up Thermostat Modes in Jervis
How to Set Only Cooling or Heating Thermostat Settings
How to Import Thermostats
Before connecting your thermostat, you want to make sure your property management platform is connected, and your listing settings are properly configured. If you have done this, you can skip to Step 3.
- Connect your property management system or channel manager via the Marketplace page. Each platform will have its unique requirements to connect. To view the instructions for your specific platform, check out the user guides on our FAQ page.
- Once your PMS is connected, go to the Listings page within your Jervis Systems account and click Refresh Listings. When the page has been reloaded, you will see all of your imported properties.
- Navigate to the Devices page and select the Import Devices button. From there, select the brand you want to import.
- You will be brought to the thermostat brand’s login screen and prompted to input your login details to connect.
- If you experience a connection issue and need to reconnect your thermostats, do not delete the device or re-import the vendor. Re-importing can result in the same account being linked more than once.
- To reconnect existing thermostats, disconnect the thermostat account and then reconnect it. To help ensure thermostat behavior remains consistent after reconnecting, we recommend reviewing your default settings. Learn more in How to Set Up Default Settings in Jervis.
- Once you have connected your accounts, select the Refresh button on the Devices page to show your imported devices. Then, select the drop-down list under Assigned Listings to assign the device to a listing. Be sure your devices are assigned to the correct listing. After assigning the device, the status will show as enabled.
- At this point, it is important to confirm that the Guest role is applied to the thermostat to ensure automation triggers work correctly. Without this role, Jervis Systems cannot execute automated actions—such as generating access codes for locks or adjusting thermostat settings based on reservations. You can check this by going to the Operations menu > Assigned Roles, and confirming the Property Guest role is selected.
- If you have multiple thermostats set up for a listing, Jervis will automatically assign a Primary Thermostat for each listing. If you would like to change the thermostat, you can select the primary thermostat for your property from the Devices page. Only in the case of multiple thermostats do we require a primary thermostat selection to ensure that automation settings are followed.
- This will bring up the Primary Thermostat settings. For any listing with multiple thermostats, select the drop-down to select the primary thermostat for that listing. This means that Jervis will use the indoor temperature of that thermostat to determine whether to heat or cool. This will apply to the entire listing.
- We recommend choosing a downstairs thermostat, as lower floors typically get colder first, ensuring more accurate temperature regulation.
How to Set Up Thermostat Modes
Jervis gives you the option to set several different thermostat modes for your listings. Once set, these settings will go into effect before, during, and between reservations. We have recommended thermostat settings for each of the modes, which can also be applied at the click of a button when configuring your settings.
To configure your settings, go to the Devices page and select the three dots to the right of each of your device listings to view and edit the thermostat details for Guest Mode, Vacant Mode, and Guardrails, and the Snooze setting.
You can configure your settings based on our recommended temperature settings, which we have tested to trigger every time (use the Reset to Default Settings button to apply these settings). Otherwise, you can edit the settings to your preferences.
You can apply settings for Guest Mode, Vacant Mode, and Guardrails individually or apply bulk edits across multiple devices using the Bulk Update option on the Devices page.
Guest Mode
Guest Mode allows you to set the temperature range for your guest’s stay, including an option to have the thermostat settings take effect to account for early check-in. Jervis continuously sets the guest mode until the check-in time. This ensures these commands and the configured temperatures stay in effect in case the command does not execute the first time or if something disrupts Guest Mode.
Once a guest has checked in, Guest Mode is not continuously enforced. If you have Guardrails enabled, these settings are enforced.
For the “Set Auto Mode” option, this puts the thermostat into the built-in Automatic Mode that most smart thermostats have. This mode is controlled by the thermostat directly and will switch between heating or cooling based on the temperature it senses. Auto mode maintains a comfortable home temperature in seasons where the temperature may fluctuate (ex. Spring or Fall). Automatic mode is controlled by the thermostat itself.
Jervis sends the command to tell the thermostat to go into Auto Mode. Once the thermostat is in Auto Mode, Jervis does not control the temperature or the switching between heating or cooling.
This option can also be helpful when you want to lock the thermostat and not allow the guest to adjust the settings. If you want to allow guest changes, be sure to leave the Auto Mode option off and set up the Guardrails settings.
You can set the following recommended thermostat settings for Guest Mode by selecting the Reset to Default Settings button. We offer the same one-click setting option for Vacant Mode and the Guardrails setting.
With Guest Mode, we also offer the option for you to simulate the settings to test everything prior to a guest’s stay. You can access this setting from the Operations menu for your thermostat. We also offer this same capability for Vacant Mode and Auto Mode.
Vacant Mode
With Vacant Mode, Jervis will set the temperature when a guest is no longer at the listing.
Jervis will check every 4 hours to verify the property is still in Vacant Mode. If it is not, it will put the property back into Vacant Mode. This helps in several situations. For example, a cleaning company goes to the property late, or a handyman goes in to do some work and changes the temperature, but forgets to set the thermostat back to Vacant Mode temperatures before they leave. Jervis will catch this and set this back.
This allows you to keep your property at certain temperatures to reduce HVAC costs. Our recommended temperatures (applied automatically when you import your thermostats) prevent issues like frozen pipes in the wintertime and the property getting excessively hot or humidity building up in the summertime.
You can also set an offset to account for cleaning crews. For example, if your cleaning company arrives directly following a guest reservation, you can set a few hours offset for them to complete their cleaning before your Vacant Mode settings go into effect.
For the Vacant Mode setting, Jervis will switch between heating and cooling based on the configured settings, if needed, based on your Vacant Mode settings when it checks every 4 hours.
If Vacant Mode is set to 55 degrees, the outside temperature must be below 55 degrees for the thermostat to turn on the heating system. If Vacant Mode is set to 78 degrees, the outside temperature must be over 78 degrees to turn on the air conditioning.
The following is our recommended thermostat settings for Vacant Mode:
As with our Guest Mode setting, you can also simulate Vacant Mode to test your settings. Simply select the Turn On Vacant Mode option from the Operations menu.
Guardrails
Our Guardrails feature allows you to set a minimum and maximum temperature allowed, and this setting only applies when guests are at the listing. With an approved temperature range in place, you avoid any extreme heating and cooling scenarios during guest stays.
Jervis will monitor the temperature and check every 3-4 hours to make sure the temperature has not been set above or below your Guardrails. We can’t check more often than this due to API limits with the thermostat device vendors.
If it does happen (since our system does NOT “lock” the thermostat for guests), our system will correct it during the next scheduled check so the temperature setting is situated within your allowed temperature range.
If you want to restrict the thermostat entirely so guests CANNOT go above or below certain temperatures, the best way to do this is to lock the thermostat.
Here’s the recommended thermostat settings for Guardrails:
You can toggle off the heat and cool settings if you want to turn the Guardrails option off.
Snooze
Finally, we have a Snooze setting. You can access this in the listing settings. This option allows you to pause Vacant Mode for a set number of hours or until the next reservation.
Put another way, this is a setting you can use if you want to set Guest Mode and have it remain in Guest Mode, even if there isn’t a reservation.
This setting is also ideal for when cleaning and maintenance crews are at the rental, or you (or your family and friends) find yourself visiting. You can select the Snooze option for Vacant mode for any of your properties.
Another alternative is to create a reservation by going to the Reservations page and selecting Add New Access.
From there, you can add the details for the listing, access level, PIN code settings, and contact details. This will allow Jervis to treat the device settings the same way as if the reservation was received from your property management system.
Once you’ve configured the settings, your thermostats are ready for your guests!
How to Set Only Cooling or Heating Thermostat Settings
We recognize that in some situations, you may want to only set cooling settings or only have heating settings apply. In this case, our default settings do not apply, so we recommend applying the following settings for our Guest and Vacant Modes:
Cooling
For Guest Mode, these are our recommended thermostat settings:
For Vacant Mode, the following is recommended:
Heating
For Guest Mode, the following heating settings can be applied:
These are the recommended heating settings for Vacant Mode:
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Jervis Systems notify me of thermostat issues?
Jervis Systems provides error notifications if it cannot set a temperature or if the temperature goes outside your Guardrail ranges. These alerts are enabled under Notifications > Notification Settings, ensuring you stay informed about any thermostat-related issues.
How does Jervis determine the outside temperature for Guest Mode and Vacant Mode?
We find out the outside temperature for a listing using a weather service and the local zip code. There does not need to be an outside thermostat.
Does Eco mode or schedules still work on imported thermostats?
We do not override or remove any schedules added to the thermostat directly. However, they may conflict with the modes and automation Jervis applies. We highly recommend removing these.
Why are my guests able to adjust the temperature above or below the Guardrails settings?
Guardrails do NOT stop a guest from changing the temperature. It monitors the temperature every 3-4 hours and will adjust if the temperature is set outside of the preset range. Jervis can’t check more often than this because we have API limits with the thermostat device vendors.
To restrict the thermostat so that guests CANNOT change the temperature, we recommend locking the thermostat.
When do Vacant Mode and Guardrails run exactly?
Both Vacant Mode (Continuous) and Guardrails run every four hours, and their schedule in Eastern Time (EST) is as follows:
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- 8:00 AM EST
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- 12:00 PM (Noon) EST
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- 4:00 PM EST
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- 8:00 PM EST
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- 12:00 AM (Midnight) EST
Additionally, we have another process:
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- Vacant Mode – This runs every 15 minutes and applies vacant mode for recently checked-out reservations.
If you have any questions regarding thermostat settings or issues with setup, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support Team by sending a Support Request from your Jervis account.
Need help with setting up switch settings? Check out our guide here.