The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And by geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E are aware of when you’re at your home or away and can adjust settings to help you save even more.
The Nest can be used with a full range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a smart idea to check the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to contact your energy provider for valuable rebates, as you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve checked it’s compatible, you can either hook it up yourself or call a HVAC professional like Street Heating and Cooling. If you’re installing it on your own, you’ll see 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 since the thermostat can pull 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 Issues
The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has 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 Problems
If it can’t get ample power, Nest says you could run into some of these problems:
- Poor battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
- Your thermostat occasionally disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
- Your system is producing strange noises, such as chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
- Heating or cooling is short cycling, or frequently turning on and off in a short period of time.
- There is a delay notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is continuously running, won’t turn on or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.
You could believe something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we advise you begin with your thermostat right away. This is especially timely if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning frequently.
Our Pros Can Fix Nest Thermostat Issues
If you’ve tried Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat pro like one from Street Heating and Cooling can provide support. We can pinpoint the problem and add a C-wire, if required.
Smart thermostats including the Nest are made to make your life easier, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to monitor settings while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t run properly, but our heating and cooling pros at Street Heating and Cooling can fix the issue in no time.
If you’re running into weird heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at to schedule your appointment now.