The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can buy. And for good reason. It picks up on your temperature preferences and creates an energy-efficient schedule to match. And using geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E are aware of when you’re at your residence or gone and can adjust temperatures to help you save even more.
The Nest can be used with a wide range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a wise idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, as you might be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve confirmed it’s compatible, you can either wire it without help or call a HVAC pro like Gilray Heating and Cooling. If you’re installing it on your own, you’ll notice a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is just used for powering your thermostat. If your residence or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a setback as the thermostat can pull ample power from other heating and cooling wires.
In some instances, your heating and cooling system may need that C-wire. And here’s why.
Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Issues
The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from outdated programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It relies on 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 Malfunctions
If it can’t get adequate power, Nest says you might run into some of these troubles:
- Bad battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
- Your thermostat occasionally disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
- Your system is producing strange noises, such as 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 notification on your Nest thermostat’s screen, like “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is always working, won’t switch on or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.
You might worry something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we advise you begin with your thermostat initially. This is especially true if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning frequently.
Our Professionals Can Fix Nest Thermostat Troubles
If you’ve gone through Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t repair the dilemma, a smart thermostat specialist such as one from Gilray Heating and Cooling can provide support. We can pinpoint the issue and add a C-wire, if needed.
Smart thermostats like the Nest are made to make your life more convenient, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the option to monitor temperatures while you’re on the go. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t work like it should, but our heating and cooling experts at Gilray Heating and Cooling can resolve the issue quickly.
If you’re experiencing strange heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at to schedule your appointment right away.