Heating and Cooling at The Lilac Lakehouse: A Simple Guide to Staying Comfortable
Comfort at The Lilac Lakehouse should feel effortless, even if the technology working behind the scenes is anything but simple.
Because the Lakehouse is an expansive, three-storey home with high ceilings, large windows and rooms facing different directions, it uses two complementary systems to help maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Guests control the home’s high-velocity forced-air heating and air conditioning from one central thermostat. During the colder months, a smart in-floor heating system works quietly in the background to help stabilize temperatures throughout the house.
The good news? You don’t need to manage both systems. The systems are strategically simplified, so that the forced air thermostat is all you need to control the temperature to your comfort level.
Your Main Temperature Control
There are two main thermostats that control the forced air system:
To control the main floor and the upper level, use the thermostat located in the upper loft. This controls the high-velocity forced-air heating and air conditioning system on these two floors.
To control the lower level (lounge, kitchenette, etc.), use the thermostat located on the lower level. This controls the high-velocity forced-air heating and air conditioning system on only this floor.
This is the thermostat guests should use to select their preferred temperature throughout their stay. It provides year-round access to both heating and cooling within a generous supported comfort range of 17*c - 27*c.
The supported range is a safety precaution; it accommodates different comfort preferences while also protecting the home’s systems from accidental extreme settings or unintended switching between heating and cooling.
For example, setting a thermostat dramatically higher does not prevent the air conditioning from operating… it may activate the heat instead. Similarly, setting it much lower will not cool the house faster, and may kick in the in-floor heating (which would reheat the house rather than cool it).
Choosing a comfortable temperature and allowing the system time to respond will produce the best and most consistent results.
What Are the Other Thermostats For?
You’ll notice additional smart thermostats in the bedrooms and several common areas. These manage the Lakehouse’s seasonal in-floor heating system, and are not independently controlled or adjustable.
In-floor heating is available only during the colder season (generally from approximately mid-October through mid-April) and is turned off during the warmer months to prevent accidentally activating it). .
When available, it maintains a gentle baseline temperature and helps reduce heat loss across the Lakehouse’s large, open spaces, and creates added warmth and comfort for guests staying during the colder months.. This allows the main forced-air system to work more efficiently while helping balance comfort throughout the home.
These supporting thermostats are integrated into the Lakehouse’s overall comfort system, programmed and managed automatically. Because they are systematically integrated, they are therefore unavailable for individual adjustment. This prevents the in-floor and forced-air systems from being set to conflicting temperatures and keeps the home operating as intended.
As such, guests retain easy control of the whole-house temperature through the main thermostats.
A Note About Temperature Differences
The Lilac Lakehouse is not a small or single-level space. It has three floors, high ceilings, extensive windows, open living areas and rooms with different exposures to sunlight and shade. As with most large homes, every room may not display or feel like precisely the same temperature at every moment.
A sun-filled bedroom may feel warmer during the afternoon, while a lower-level room may naturally remain cooler. Cooking, opening exterior doors, closing bedroom doors and gathering several people in one space can also temporarily affect how a room feels.
The systems are designed to create balanced comfort throughout the home, but minor variations between rooms and floors are normal.
Give the House a Little Time
Both heating and cooling require time to circulate through a home of this size. After adjusting the main thermostat, please allow the system time to respond before changing the setting again.
Repeated or extreme adjustments won’t make the house heat or cool more quickly; in fact, they can instead create larger temperature swings rather than the comfort level you’re looking for.
A moderate adjustment followed by a little patience usually produces the most comfortable result. With thermostats, it’s usually best to “set it and forget it”; only adjusting it when necessary to change the setting.
Simple Ways to Improve Your Comfort
A few small choices can make a noticeable difference:
Keep exterior doors and windows closed while the heating or air conditioning is operating.
Close blinds or curtains in rooms receiving strong afternoon sun.
Leave interior bedroom doors slightly open when practical to encourage airflow.
Avoid making repeated thermostat changes within a short period.
Contact us if the house remains uncomfortable after the system has had time to respond.
How the Smart Support System Adapts
The smart thermostats do more than follow a single fixed setting. Their smart technology monitors factors such as room use, movement and occupancy patterns, previous heating cycles and changing outdoor conditions (like the current and upcoming weather!).
Over time, the smart thermostats can create and refine schedules based on how different areas of the house are being used. They may then make small, automatic adjustments to maintain an effective balance between comfort, system efficiency and the needs of the home as a whole.
For example, if the lower lounge has not been occupied for some time, its thermostat may gradually return that area to an established baseline rather than continuing to heat an empty room at the same level. When room-use patterns or external conditions change, the system can adapt again.
You may occasionally notice the displayed temperature or setting on one of the thermostats change during or after a heating/cooling cycle. This is normal and does not indicate that the system has malfunctioned. It simply means the thermostat is returning to its smart baseline or adjusting its schedule based on current conditions in order to maintain whole-home efficiency. Not only does this create a more balanced environment in the house, it also contributes to the Lilac Lakehouse’s goal of environmental sustainability.
With this in mind, it’s important to note that these background adjustments do not remove your ability to choose the home’s overall temperature. Guest comfort preferences should always be entered through the main thermostat; the supporting system will learn from your input and continue working automatically alongside it.
Heating and Cooling FAQ
Which thermostat should I use?
If you want to adjust the temperature on the main floor and/or the upper floor, please use the main thermostat located in the loft.
If you want to adjust the temperature in the lower lounge, please use the main thermostat located on the lower floor.
Can I control both the heating and air conditioning?
Yes. The main forced-air system provides heating and air conditioning year-round. Guests can select their preferred temperature within the thermostat’s supported comfort range.
Why are the other thermostats unavailable?
The additional thermostats manage the Lakehouse’s seasonal in-floor heating system. They are integrated into the home’s overall comfort strategy and operate automatically to support the main system (the one you control via the main thermostat in the loft). The in-floor heating is only automatically available during colder weather.
Because they are programmed and managed as part of that system, individual adjustment is unavailable and so the thermostat will either show as “off” or as “locked” for adjustments. This prevents conflicting settings and allows guests to control their comfort simply from the main thermostat.
When is the in-floor heating available?
The in-floor heating system is generally available during the colder season, approximately from mid-October through mid-April. It is turned off during warmer weather. Specific activation dates may vary slightly depending on seasonal temperatures.
Why doesn’t setting the thermostat much higher or lower work faster?
A thermostat determines the target temperature; it does not control how quickly the system heats or cools. Setting the temperature dramatically higher or lower will not make the house respond faster. It may cause the system to run longer than necessary, create uncomfortable temperature swings or unintentionally activate heating when cooling is wanted.
Why does one room feel warmer or cooler than another?
Rooms can feel different because of sunlight, window exposure, ceiling height, airflow, occupancy and their location within the home.
Slight variations are normal in a large, multi-level property. If one room feels unusually warm or cool, check that its windows are closed, adjust blinds or curtains if it is receiving direct sunlight, and leave the interior door slightly open to improve airflow.
What should I do if I’m too warm?
Use the main thermostat to select a moderately cooler temperature, then allow the system time to circulate the air throughout the house. Please also check that exterior doors and windows are closed. In sun-facing rooms, closing the blinds or curtains can make a significant difference.
What should I do if I’m too cold?
Increase the temperature moderately using the main thermostat and give the system time to respond. The supporting thermostats for in-floor heating cannot be independently adjusted; during the colder season, the in-floor system is already programmed to operate automatically alongside the main heating system.
Why can’t every room be controlled separately?
The main thermostat controls the whole-house forced-air system. The additional thermostats belong to the seasonal in-floor support system and are not individual room controls for heating and air conditioning. Keeping the systems centrally managed prevents different parts of the home from calling for opposing temperatures and unbalancing the overall house’s temperature.
Can I open the windows while the heating or air conditioning is running?
For the most effective heating or cooling, please keep windows and exterior doors closed while the system is operating. If you would prefer fresh air, turn the main system off temporarily before opening several windows or doors.
What if the temperature still isn’t improving?
If the house remains uncomfortable after adjusting the main thermostat and allowing the system time to respond, please contact us via your booking platform. We can review the systems remotely, confirm that everything is operating correctly and make any necessary adjustments to the seasonal support system. We’re always happy to help you find a comfortable setting so you can return to enjoying your stay.
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