The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It picks up on your temperature preferences and creates an energy-efficient schedule to match. And through geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your residence or away and can adjust temps to help you save even more.
The Nest can be used 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 purchasing one. Don’t forget to check with your energy supplier for valuable rebates, as 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 hire a HVAC professional like James Heating & A/C, Inc. 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 house or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In the majority of cases, Nest says this isn’t an issue because the thermostat can draw enough power from other heating and cooling wires.
Sometimes, your heating and cooling system may have to have that C-wire. And here’s why.
Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Malfunctions
The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from aging programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to sync with Wi-Fi, power its digital display and run your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Issues
If it can’t draw enough power, Nest says you might encounter some of these issues:
- Short 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 shut off.
- Your system is creating strange noises, like 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 notification on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is always working, won’t run or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.
You may worry something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just got the Nest, we recommend you check your thermostat right away. This is especially pertinent if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning much.
Our Professionals Can Fix Nest Thermostat Problems
If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t repair the issue, a smart thermostat specialist including one from James Heating & A/C, Inc can support you. We can determine the malfunction and install a C-wire, if needed.
Smart thermostats like the Nest are created to make your life more convenient, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to keep an eye on temperatures while you’re away from home. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t work properly, but our heating and cooling experts at James Heating & A/C, Inc can fix the issue quickly.
If you’re running into atypical heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at to set up your appointment right away.
