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

April 13, 2021

The Nest thermostat is one of the best-selling smart thermostats on the market today. 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 are aware of when you’re at your residence or out and about and can change temps 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 good idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, since you could be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve checked it’s compatible, you can either wire it yourself or hire a HVAC specialist like Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning. If you’re installing it on your own, you’ll notice a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is only used for powering your thermostat. If your home 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 as the thermostat can get enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

Sometimes, your heating and cooling system might have to have 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The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from outdated programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It relies on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to link to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and operate your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions

If it can’t get adequate electricity, Nest says you might experience some of these problems:

  1. Poor 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 turn off.
  5. Your system is making weird 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 notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is continuously running, won’t run or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.

You may think something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just got the Nest, we recommend you begin 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 Pros Can Solve Nest Thermostat Troubles

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t fix the dilemma, a smart thermostat specialist including one from Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning can provide assistance. We can identify the issue and install a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are created 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 a time-consuming experience when yours won’t operate properly, but our heating and cooling pros at Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning can resolve the trouble quickly.

If you’re running into unexplained heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at 360-255-5857 to schedule your appointment today.