The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. 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 home or out and about and can raise and lower settings 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 use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy supplier for valuable rebates, because you could 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 without help or contact a HVAC specialist like Freed Heating & Air Conditioning. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is just used for powering your thermostat. If your residence or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. In most cases, Nest says this isn’t a problem as the thermostat can pull enough 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 Problems

The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from outdated programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses 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 Issues

If it can’t receive enough electricity, Nest says you might encounter some of these troubles:

  1. Poor battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t work.
  3. Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
  5. Your system is producing weird noises, such as chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
  6. Heating or cooling is short cycling, or frequently 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 constantly working, won’t switch on or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.

You might think something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just got the Nest, we suggest you begin with your thermostat first. This is especially timely if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning much.

Our Specialists Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Issues

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t solve the issue, a smart thermostat specialist such as one from Freed Heating & Air Conditioning can provide support. We can diagnose the issue 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 option to check temperatures while you’re away from home. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t operate correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at Freed Heating & Air Conditioning can fix the problem quickly.

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