The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It figures out your temperature preferences and develops an energy-efficient schedule to match. And through geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your house or away and can change temps to help you save even more.
The Nest works with a wide range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a smart idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, as you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.
Once you’ve made sure it’s compatible, you can either wire it on your own or contact a HVAC pro like Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll spot a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is solely used for powering your thermostat. If your residence or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In the majority of cases, Nest says this isn’t a setback since the thermostat can pull enough power from other heating and cooling wires.
Sometimes, your heating and cooling system might need that C-wire. And here’s why.
Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Problems
The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It relies on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to sync with Wi-Fi, power its digital display and run your heating and cooling system.
8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions
If it can’t get adequate electricity, Nest says you might run into some of these problems:
- Bad 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 turn off.
- Your system is making strange noises, such as 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 continuously working, won’t turn on or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.
You may believe something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just installed the Nest, we advise you check your thermostat first. This is especially timely if the weather is mild, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning consistently.
Our Pros Can Fix Nest Thermostat Troubles
If you’ve gone through Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t fix the dilemma, a smart thermostat specialist including one from Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling can support you. We can identify the malfunction and put in a C-wire, if necessary.
Smart thermostats like the Nest are created to make your life easier, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to keep an eye on temperatures while you’re out. It’s a time-consuming experience when yours won’t work properly, but our heating and cooling pros at Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling can fix the issue fast.
If you’re running into atypical heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at to set up your appointment today.