The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It figures out your temperature preferences and develops an energy-efficient schedule to match. And using geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your home or gone and can adjust temps to help you save even more.
The Nest is compatible with a wide range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a wise idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, since you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve made sure it’s compatible, you can either install it without help or call a HVAC pro like Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating. If you’re installing it yourself, you’ll notice a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is just used for powering your thermostat. If your house or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a setback since the thermostat can get enough 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 Issues
The Google Nest Thermostat is better than older programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to sync with Wi-Fi, power its digital display and operate your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions
If it can’t draw enough power, Nest says you could have some of these problems:
- Bad battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
- Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
- Your system is making odd noises, such as chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
- Heating or cooling is short cycling, or repeatedly turning on and off in a short period of time.
- There is a delay message on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is always running, won’t turn on or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.
You may worry something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just got the Nest, we advise you start with your thermostat right away. This is especially pertinent if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning consistently.
Our Pros Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Problems
If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t solve the issue, a smart thermostat pro such as one from Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating can provide assistance. We can identify the issue and put in a C-wire, if required.
Smart thermostats like the Nest are made to make your life more convenient, by automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to keep an eye on settings while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t work correctly, but our heating and cooling specialists at Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating can fix the problem fast.
If you’re going through unexplained heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at 641-628-3621 to request your appointment right away.