The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can get. 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 house or out and about and can adjust temps to help you save even more.

The Nest is compatible with a vast range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a smart idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to contact your energy company for valuable rebates, as you might 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 on your own or call a HVAC pro like Knoechel Heating. If you’re putting it in without help, you’ll spot 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 the majority of cases, Nest says this isn’t a setback since the thermostat can draw adequate power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some cases, your heating and cooling system may require 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 older programmable thermostats that have 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 turn on your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions

If it can’t get enough juice, Nest says you might encounter some of these troubles:

  1. Poor battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
  3. Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t shut off.
  5. Your system is producing strange noises, like chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
  6. Heating or cooling is short cycling, or frequently turning on and off in a short period of time.
  7. There is a delay message on your Nest thermostat’s screen, like “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is continuously on, won’t turn on or turns off and on frequently 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, it’s best to check your thermostat first. This is especially pertinent if the weather is mild, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning much.

Our Pros Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Issues

If you’ve tried Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t repair the problem, a smart thermostat professional including one from Knoechel Heating can assist you. We can determine the problem and add a C-wire, if needed.

Smart thermostats such as the Nest are made to make your life easier, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the option to check temps while you’re away from home. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t run correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at Knoechel Heating can take care of the issue in no time.

If you’re running into strange heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at 724-425-5852 to schedule your appointment today.