The Nest thermostat is one of the best-selling smart thermostats you can buy. And for good reason. It picks up on your temperature preferences and develops 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 gone and can change temperatures to help you save even more.
The Nest is compatible with a wide range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a good idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to check with your energy supplier for valuable rebates, as you could be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve confirmed it’s compatible, you can either install it on your own or hire a HVAC pro like Tri City Fuel & Heating. If you’re installing it without help, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is just used for powering your thermostat. If your home or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In the majority of cases, Nest says this isn’t a problem because the thermostat can get adequate 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 Problems
The Google Nest Thermostat is better than aging programmable thermostats that have 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 turn on your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems
If it can’t receive adequate electricity, Nest says you could encounter some of these issues:
- Poor battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
- Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t shut off.
- Your system is producing weird 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, like “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is continuously working, won’t run or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.
You could believe something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just installed the Nest, we suggest you start with your thermostat first. This is especially true if the weather is mild, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning frequently.
Our Professionals Can Fix Nest Thermostat Troubles
If you’ve tried Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat pro such as one from Tri City Fuel & Heating can assist you. We can identify the problem and add a C-wire, if required.
Smart thermostats including the Nest are designed to make your life easier, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to monitor settings while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t run correctly, but our heating and cooling specialists at Tri City Fuel & Heating can resolve the problem in no time.
If you’re experiencing weird heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at to schedule your appointment now.
