A threshold alert fires when a probe already crossed your freeze °F. The time-to-freeze clock estimates remaining hours until that space would hit the threshold, using how this unheated zone lags outdoor air. Use it after the kit is live, not as a wiring guide.
Four layers of cold risk
- Threshold: probe °F at or below your freeze setting (every plan).
- Time-to-freeze clock: remaining hours until the threshold at this space’s lag vs outdoor (every plan).
- Member outdoor forecast: predictive freeze warnings from outdoor forecast inputs.
- Pro NWS: official National Weather Service freeze and cold alerts for your area.
What the lag model uses
The clock compares indoor probe history to outdoor context and estimates how fast this garage, crawlspace, or shop cools toward your threshold. Short door openings and sensor blips can move the estimate; treat it as a runway, not a stopwatch. Pair placement lessons with freeze thresholds and the cold-snap playbook.
How to enable in Alerts
- Open Dashboard → Alerts → Essentials.
- Confirm a freeze threshold (°F) and at least one delivery channel (email on Free).
- Keep alerts enabled so remaining-hours warnings can fire before the probe crosses freeze.
- Send a test alert while awake so the household trusts the channel stack.
When to act on the runway
- Under ~4 hours: treat like an imminent freeze: drip faucets, close doors, escalate SMS/household.
- Under ~12 hours: prep before sleep or travel: verify channels, check the coldest zone.
- Longer runway: useful planning signal; still confirm thresholds match the coldest pipe-adjacent probe.
Related
After a thaw, watch wet contacts with the freeze → thaw flood playbook. Plan comparison of forecast vs NWS layers lives on pricing.
FAQ
How is time-to-freeze different from a threshold alert?
A threshold fires when the probe is already at or below your freeze °F. Time-to-freeze estimates remaining hours until that crossing using this space’s lag versus outdoor air.
What do Member forecast and Pro NWS add?
Every plan gets threshold plus the indoor time-to-freeze clock. Member adds outdoor forecast freeze warnings; Pro adds official NWS freeze and cold alerts.
Where do I turn time-to-freeze on?
Dashboard → Alerts → Essentials: set a freeze threshold, enable alerts and a delivery channel, then keep alerts on so remaining-hours warnings can fire. Send a test alert while awake.