Why Your Nest Thermostat Isn't Working and How to Solve the Problem

April 13, 2021

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 makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And through geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E are aware of when you’re at your home or away and can change temperatures 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 good idea to check the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to check 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 checked it’s compatible, you can either wire it yourself or contact a HVAC pro like Gilray Heating and Cooling. If you’re putting it in without help, you’ll spot 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. In most cases, Nest says this isn’t a setback because the thermostat can get adequate power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some instances, your heating and cooling system might need that C-wire. And here’s why.

Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Malfunctions

The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from outdated programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to connect to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and turn on your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Issues

If it can’t draw enough power, Nest says you may have some of these problems:

  1. Bad battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t work.
  3. Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t shut off.
  5. Your system is making odd noises, such as chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
  6. Heating or cooling is short cycling, or frequently turning on and off in a short period of time.
  7. There is a delay notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, such as “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is continuously running, won’t run or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.

You might worry something is wrong with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we recommend you check your thermostat right away. This is especially pertinent if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning consistently.

Our Specialists Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Issues

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat specialist including one from Gilray Heating and Cooling can assist you. We can determine the problem and put in a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are created to make your life more convenient, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to monitor temperatures while you’re on the go. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t operate correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at Gilray Heating and Cooling can fix the problem fast.

If you’re experiencing odd heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at 715-301-0727 to schedule your appointment now.