Thermostat “Hold” vs “Set”: Two Personalities Under One Roof

If thermostats were houses, each would have at least two residents. There’s the calm, reliable “Set,” and the sensitive, emotional “Hold,” who reacts to every situation in his own way.

Understanding the difference between these two “personalities” helps you avoid chaos, energy overpayments, and endless attempts to understand why your home suddenly feels warmer or colder than usual.

Here comes the moment of truth, when you finally meet this surprising duo and break down how each of them works together with Freon Service.

Thermostat “Hold” vs “Set”: Whom to Rely On and When

“Set” is the part of the thermostat that loves order:

• She follows the schedule.
• She respects the plan.
• She knows that mornings need one climate and evenings another.
• Drifting off-course? Not her thing.

Her motto: clear, steady, according to the timetable.

Here’s a short overview of situations where using SET works best:

• You change the temperature briefly and want the thermostat to return to the schedule on its own. For example, you feel too warm — you lower it by a couple of degrees.
• During everyday use, when your schedule works fine.
• In situations where you don’t want to interfere with energy efficiency.

Remember: the main advantage is automatic savings — the thermostat will revert to optimized settings on its own.

“Hold” is a completely different type:

• Sometimes he’s patient (Permanent Hold).
• Sometimes impulsive (the Temporary one).

But above all, he steps in, overrides the schedule, and takes control.

His battle cry: “I’ll hold this temperature until the owner says stop. And no schedule tells me what to do!”

What Does Temporary “Hold” Mean on a Thermostat: I Need a Plan

As the name suggests, this character holds the temperature until the next programmed period begins. Usually this means:

• Morning
• Day
• Evening
• Night

What else can we say about this tenant of the thermostat?

• He’s a temporary guest who still lives by the owner’s timetable.
• He’s flexible: “You want it warmer right now? No problem!”
• But unreliable: “I’ll stay… but only until the next scheduled event. After that, I’m gone — I have my own plans.”

He doesn’t argue, but he also doesn’t commit: “I’m not here forever, don’t count on me long-term.”

What does temporary “Hold” mean on a thermostat? It’s the perfect option when:

• Someone is cold or overheated right now.
• You’re home at an unusual time — but only for today.
• Plans changed for a couple of hours.

Examples:

• You got home early — you warm the house up temporarily.
• Guests arrived — you cool the space down a bit.
• You woke up later than usual — you keep the nighttime temperature a little longer.

Advantage: Everything returns to its normal track automatically.

What Is Temporary “Hold” on Thermostat if There Is No Schedule?

This is a very important question because it exposes the hidden nature of this feature.

Think about it: his whole being is built around following orders and jumping back onto familiar tracks at the first chance.

But what if those tracks don’t exist at all?

If your system has no programmed periods — meaning the schedule is disabled — then what does temporary “Hold” mean on thermostat?

• He simply turns into a regular Set.
• The thermostat will hold the chosen temperature until you manually change it again.
• There is no “next period,” so there’s nothing to switch to.

In this situation, Temporary Hold behaves almost like Permanent Hold — just without the formal “forever” label.

This is where his dependence on structure becomes most obvious:

“If there’s no schedule… well… I have no idea when I’m supposed to leave. So I’ll stay until you tell me otherwise.”

What Is Permanent “Hold” on Thermostat: Let Everything Stay Predictable

It happened: intentionally or by accident, your finger hovered over Permanent Hold and pressed it into the panel.

Did you notice what the temperature was at that exact moment?

• “No.”

That’s bad — now you’re living in a home with an unknown degree.

• “Yes.”

That’s good — because from now on, that number will live on your screen permanently.

• “I didn’t care, it just felt comfortable.”

Then from now on, at this same time of day, you’ll feel just as comfortable. But what about the other periods?

Why does this matter? what is permanent “Hold” on a thermostat?

He’s the champion of an unchanging routine who keeps the exact temperature you selected until you press “Run Schedule.”

He’s very steady, almost rigid.

If he were sitting in a psychologist’s chair, he’d say:

“You see, I just want everything to be predictable. I set the temperature and I hold it… endlessly. But everyone complains that nothing can change while I’m in charge, unless someone disables me manually.”

For example:

• You set 70°F and activate the thermostat permanent “Hold”.
• The thermostat keeps 70°F for hours or even days.
• Feeling too warm or cold? Time to cancel the command manually.

Best for:

• Vacations, trips, business travel.
• When your schedule is outdated and you want a stable temperature.
• A guest house: keep it 70°F until someone visits.
• Elderly people or kids who need consistent comfort.
• Emergency situations (like protecting pipes in winter).

Consistency is this hero’s gift — but it’s also his blind spot.

Temporary vs Permanent “Hold” Thermostat: Is There a Winner?

Now you’ve met all the “tenants” living inside your thermostat.

• You have the calm planner Set, who loves order and schedules.
• You have the emotional, reactive Temporary Hold, who responds to everything in the moment.
• And the iron-willed, unshakeable Permanent Hold, who loves stability and keeps the chosen temperature as long as you allow it.

But is there a winner?

We believe a winner only exists where there was a competition. Inside the thermostat, there isn’t one. Its job is to give you maximum comfort while keeping your home at the right temperature when you’re away.

That’s why, at Freon Service, we encourage you not to choose one feature “for every situation,” but to stay flexible and use all the bonuses the device can offer.

If you’re unsure about the settings and don’t quite understand, for example, what does temporary mean on thermostat, invite our specialist.

We’ll configure everything according to your needs and explain when and how to adapt each function to changes in your daily routine.

All that’s left for you is to enjoy the perfect atmosphere.