Why Your Nest Thermostat Isn't Working and How to Repair It

April 13, 2021

The Nest thermostat is one of the best-selling smart thermostats you can buy. 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 know when you’re at your home or out and about and can raise and lower temperatures 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 purchasing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy supplier for valuable rebates, because you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve confirmed it’s compatible, you can either hook it up yourself or hire a HVAC professional like Lakeside Heating & Air. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll notice 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 the majority of cases, Nest says this isn’t a problem since the thermostat can pull adequate power from other heating and cooling wires.

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The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power.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

8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems

If it can’t draw enough electricity, Nest says you might run into some of these problems:

  1. Bad battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
  3. Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system unexpectedly turns on or off, or won’t shut off.
  5. Your system is making weird noises, like 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 notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, such as “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is always on, won’t run or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.

You might worry something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we suggest you start with your thermostat first. This is especially pertinent if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning frequently.

Our Pros Can Fix Nest Thermostat Issues

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting on your own but can’t fix the dilemma, a smart thermostat specialist including one from Lakeside Heating & Air can help. We can determine the issue and install a C-wire, if needed.

Smart thermostats such as the Nest are made to make your life more convenient, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to check settings while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t operate like it should, but our heating and cooling pros at Lakeside Heating & Air can resolve the trouble in no time.

If you’re experiencing strange heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at 509-284-4265 to request your appointment now.