The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can buy. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And by geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E are aware of when you’re at your residence or away and can adjust settings to help you save even more.
The Nest is compatible with a full range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a smart idea to check the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to contact your energy supplier for valuable rebates, since you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve checked it’s compatible, you can either install it yourself or call a HVAC specialist like Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. If you’re putting it in on your own, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is solely used for powering your thermostat. If your residence or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In most cases, Nest says this isn’t a problem because the thermostat can get ample power from other heating and cooling wires.
In some cases, your heating and cooling system might need that C-wire. And here’s why.
Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Problems
The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from aging programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to connect to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and operate your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems
If it can’t draw ample power, Nest says you might have some of these troubles:
- Poor battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing won’t work.
- Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system unexpectedly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
- Your system is producing strange noises, like chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
- Heating or cooling is short cycling, or frequently turning on and off in a short period of time.
- There is a delay notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, such as “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is continuously running, won’t switch on or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.
You could think something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just installed the Nest, we suggest you begin with your thermostat right away. This is especially pertinent if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning much.
Our Professionals Can Solve Nest Thermostat Problems
If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat professional like one from Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling can support you. We can identify the malfunction and install a C-wire, if needed.
Smart thermostats like the Nest are made to make your life simpler, by automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to check temps while you’re away from home. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t work correctly, but our heating and cooling specialists at Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling can fix the issue fast.
If you’re running into atypical heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at to book your appointment now.