The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can get. 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 are aware of when you’re at your residence or away and can change temps to help you save even more.

The Nest works with a full range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a wise idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, because you may be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve made sure it’s compatible, you can either hook it up without help or hire a HVAC specialist like Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc.. If you’re wiring it 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 an issue because the thermostat can get 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 Malfunctions

The Google Nest Thermostat is better than older programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses 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 power, Nest says you may run into some of these problems:

  1. Short 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 shut off.
  5. Your system is making strange noises, including 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, such as “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is continuously on, won’t turn on or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.

You could think something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just got the Nest, we recommend you check your thermostat right away. This is especially true if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning frequently.

Our Pros Can Solve Nest Thermostat Problems

If you’ve tried Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t repair the dilemma, a smart thermostat pro like one from Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc. can assist you. We can diagnose the issue and put in a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are made to make your life more convenient, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to monitor temperatures while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t run properly, but our heating and cooling experts at Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc. can take care of the problem in no time.

If you’re experiencing strange heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at to set up your appointment now.