The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And using geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E realize when you’re at your house or away and can raise and lower settings 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 use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy supplier 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 wire it yourself or hire a HVAC specialist like Air-Right Energy Design. If you’re installing it without help, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is only 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 an issue as the thermostat can draw ample power from other heating and cooling wires.
Sometimes, your heating and cooling system may need 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 aging programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to link to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and operate your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems
If it can’t receive ample electricity, Nest says you might run into some of these problems:
- Short battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
- Your thermostat occasionally disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
- 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 constantly working, won’t run or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.
You may believe something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just installed the Nest, we advise you start with your thermostat first. This is especially timely if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning consistently.
Our Specialists Can Solve Nest Thermostat Troubles
If you’ve gone through Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat pro like one from Air-Right Energy Design can support you. We can identify the problem and add a C-wire, if needed.
Smart thermostats such as the Nest are made to make your life easier, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to monitor settings while you’re out. It’s a time-consuming experience when yours won’t operate like it should, but our heating and cooling experts at Air-Right Energy Design can take care of the issue quickly.
If you’re going through odd heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at to set up your appointment now.
