Why Your Nest Thermostat Isn't Running Right and How to Solve the Problem

April 13, 2021

The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats on the market today. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and develops an energy-efficient schedule to match. And through geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E realize when you’re at your house or out and about and can raise and lower temperatures 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 wise idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to check with your energy company for valuable rebates, as you might be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve made sure it’s compatible, you can either hook it up yourself or call a HVAC specialist like Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. If you’re putting it in yourself, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is only 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 because the thermostat can draw enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some instances, your heating and cooling system might need 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The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power.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 operate your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions

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

  1. Bad battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
  3. Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system unexpectedly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
  5. Your system is making strange noises, including chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
  6. Heating or cooling is short cycling, or repeatedly turning on and off in a short period of time.
  7. There is a delay message on your Nest thermostat’s screen, such as “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is constantly working, won’t run or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.

You could worry something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we recommend you check your thermostat initially. This is especially timely if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning much.

Our Pros Can Fix Nest Thermostat Problems

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting on your own but can’t solve the dilemma, a smart thermostat pro such as one from Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc can provide assistance. We can diagnose the malfunction and install a C-wire, if needed.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are designed to make your life more convenient, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to check temps while you’re on the go. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t work like it should, but our heating and cooling specialists at Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc can fix the issue in no time.

If you’re going through unexplained heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at 602-832-7808 to schedule your appointment today.