The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It picks up on your temperature preferences and develops 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 house or away and can adjust settings 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 smart idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, because you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve confirmed it’s compatible, you can either hook it up without help or hire a HVAC professional like Contra Costa Heating & AC. If you’re installing it on your own, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is solely used for powering your thermostat. If your home or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In most cases, Nest says this isn’t a problem because the thermostat can draw adequate power from other heating and cooling wires.
In some cases, your heating and cooling system could require that C-wire. And here’s why.
Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Problems
The Google Nest Thermostat is better than older 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 connect to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and run your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Issues
If it can’t draw enough juice, Nest says you could run into some of these problems:
- Poor battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
- Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t shut off.
- Your system is making odd 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 notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is constantly on, won’t switch on or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.
You could think something is wrong with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we suggest you start with your thermostat first. This is especially true if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning much.
Our Professionals Can Solve Nest Thermostat Issues
If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t solve the problem, a smart thermostat pro such as one from Contra Costa Heating & AC can provide support. We can determine the problem and add a C-wire, if needed.
Smart thermostats including the Nest are made to make your life easier, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to keep an eye on settings while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t operate correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at Contra Costa Heating & AC can resolve the trouble quickly.
If you’re running into strange heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at to request your appointment right away.
