The Nest thermostat is one of the best-selling smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It figures out your temperature preferences and creates an energy-efficient schedule to match. And by geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your home or away and can raise and lower temperatures to help you save even more.
The Nest works with a vast range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a good idea to check the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy company for valuable rebates, since you might be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve checked it’s compatible, you can either install it without help or hire a HVAC professional like Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll notice a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is only used for powering your thermostat. If your home or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In the majority of cases, Nest says this isn’t a setback because the thermostat can draw enough power from other heating and cooling wires.
In some cases, your heating and cooling system might have to have that C-wire. And here’s why.
Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Problems
The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It relies on 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 Issues
If it can’t draw ample electricity, Nest says you could encounter some of these issues:
- Poor battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing won’t work.
- Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
- Your system is making weird noises, like chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
- Heating or cooling is short cycling, or constantly turning on and off in a short period of time.
- There is a delay notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, like “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is constantly on, won’t switch on or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.
You could worry something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we recommend you check your thermostat initially. This is especially true if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning frequently.
Our Specialists Can Fix Nest Thermostat Troubles
If you’ve gone through Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t solve the dilemma, a smart thermostat specialist like one from Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating can support you. We can diagnose the malfunction and add a C-wire, if needed.
Smart thermostats such as the Nest are designed to make your life simpler, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the option to keep an eye on temps while you’re on the go. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t operate correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating can fix the issue fast.
If you’re going through unexplained heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at to schedule your appointment now.
