The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can buy. And for good reason. It figures out your temperature preferences and creates 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 house or out and about and can raise and lower temperatures to help you save even more.

The Nest is compatible 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 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 call a HVAC pro like H&C Heating and Cooling. If you’re putting it in without help, 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. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a setback because the thermostat can draw enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

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

Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Malfunctions

The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power.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 link to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and operate your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems

If it can’t draw adequate electricity, Nest says you may encounter some of these problems:

  1. Short battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
  3. Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
  5. Your system is making odd 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 notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is constantly working, won’t run or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.

You might believe something is suspect with your heating and cooling system, but if you just installed the Nest, we suggest you check your thermostat initially. This is especially true 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 repair the problem, a smart thermostat professional such as one from H&C Heating and Cooling can support you. We can determine the malfunction and add a C-wire, if necessary.

Smart thermostats like the Nest are designed to make your life simpler, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to monitor settings while you’re on the go. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t operate properly, but our heating and cooling pros at H&C Heating and Cooling can resolve the issue fast.

If you’re running into atypical heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at to request your appointment right away.