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

The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and develops an energy-efficient schedule to match. And using 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 can be used with a vast range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a good idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to check with your energy supplier for valuable rebates, since you might be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve confirmed it’s compatible, you can either wire it yourself or call a HVAC specialist like Three Rivers Heating and Cooling. If you’re putting it in yourself, you’ll notice a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is only 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 because the thermostat can draw enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

Sometimes, 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 older programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It relies on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to connect to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and turn on your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Issues

If it can’t get enough power, Nest says you may run into some of these troubles:

1. Poor battery life.
2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
3. Your thermostat occasionally disconnects from Wi-Fi.
4. Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t shut off.
5. Your system is creating odd noises, such as 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 message on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
8. The system fan is constantly running, won’t switch on or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.

You may think something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, it’s best to start with 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 Specialists Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Problems

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting on your own but can’t fix the dilemma, a smart thermostat pro including one from Three Rivers Heating and Cooling can provide support. We can pinpoint the malfunction and install a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are created to make your life more convenient, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to keep an eye on temps while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t operate properly, but our heating and cooling experts at Three Rivers Heating and Cooling can fix the issue in no time.

If you’re experiencing unexplained heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at (503) 739-5400 to request your appointment right away.