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 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 settings 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 check the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, because you might be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve checked it’s compatible, you can either hook it up yourself or contact a HVAC specialist like B & G HVAC. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is solely 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 an issue because the thermostat can draw enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

Sometimes, your heating and cooling system may have to have that C-wire. And here’s why.

Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Problems

The Google Nest Thermostat is better than outdated programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power.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 run your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems

If it can’t receive enough juice, Nest says you may experience some of these issues:

  1. Bad battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
  3. Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system unexpectedly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
  5. Your system is creating weird noises, like 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, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is continuously working, won’t switch on or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.

You might believe something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just installed the Nest, we advise you start with your thermostat initially. This is especially pertinent if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning frequently.

Our Pros Can Solve Nest Thermostat Issues

If you’ve tried Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t repair the issue, a smart thermostat professional like one from B & G HVAC can provide support. We can diagnose the problem and add a C-wire, if needed.

Smart thermostats like the Nest are created to make your life more convenient, by automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to check settings while you’re out. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t operate correctly, but our heating and cooling experts at B & G HVAC can resolve the problem quickly.

If you’re going through weird heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, reach out to us at 641-316-3360 to request your appointment now.