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 makes 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 out and about and can raise and lower 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 wise idea to check the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to contact your energy supplier 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 without help or contact a HVAC specialist like Bigfoot Mechanical. If you’re putting it in yourself, you’ll spot a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is solely used for powering your thermostat. If your house or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In most cases, Nest says this isn’t a problem since the thermostat can get ample power from other heating and cooling wires.
In some instances, your heating and cooling system may 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 aging programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has 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 Malfunctions
If it can’t receive ample juice, Nest says you might run into some of these troubles:
- Poor battery life.
- Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
- Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
- Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
- 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 notification on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
- The system fan is constantly working, won’t run 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 recommend you begin with your thermostat first. This is especially pertinent if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning consistently.
Our Pros Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Troubles
If you’ve tried Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t fix the dilemma, a smart thermostat pro like one from Bigfoot Mechanical can assist you. We can diagnose the malfunction and add a C-wire, if necessary.
Smart thermostats like the Nest are made to make your life simpler, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the option to monitor temps while you’re out. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t operate properly, but our heating and cooling pros at Bigfoot Mechanical can take care of the problem quickly.
If you’re running into weird heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at 509-392-8770 to book your appointment right away.
