Why Your Nest Thermostat Isn't Operating Right and How to Fix It

April 13, 2021

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 makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And by geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your home or away 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 smart idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to check with your energy company for valuable rebates, since 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 install it on your own or contact a HVAC specialist like Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling. 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 residence or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a problem as the thermostat can get ample power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some cases, your heating and cooling system may need that C-wire. And here’s why.

Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Malfunctions

The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from outdated programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses 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 receive adequate electricity, Nest says you could have some of these issues:

  1. Poor battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
  3. Your thermostat occasionally disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
  5. Your system is creating odd noises, including chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
  6. Heating or cooling is short cycling, or constantly turning on and off in a short period of time.
  7. There is a delay notification on your Nest thermostat’s screen, such as “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is constantly on, won’t turn on or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.

You may believe something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just got the Nest, we recommend you begin with your thermostat right away. This is especially pertinent if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning consistently.

Our Pros Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Troubles

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat pro like one from Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling can assist you. We can pinpoint the problem and install a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are made to make your life simpler, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to monitor settings while you’re away from home. It’s a time-consuming experience when yours won’t work like it should, but our heating and cooling experts at Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling can fix the problem in no time.

If you’re experiencing atypical heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at 515-207-6569 to book your appointment right away.