The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can buy. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And using geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your residence or gone and can adjust temps to help you save even more.

The Nest works with a vast range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a good 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 confirmed it’s compatible, you can either hook it up yourself or contact a HVAC pro like Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning. If you’re wiring it without help, you’ll spot 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. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a setback as the thermostat can pull ample power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some cases, 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 an improvement from aging programmable thermostats that have a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to link to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and run your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions

If it can’t draw ample juice, Nest says you may run into some of these problems:

  1. Poor 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 stop running.
  5. Your system is making weird 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 notification 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 turn on 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 started using the Nest, it’s best to check your thermostat first. This is especially pertinent if the weather is mild, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning consistently.

Our Specialists Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Troubles

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t solve the dilemma, a smart thermostat professional including one from Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning can provide support. We can determine the malfunction and install a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are made to make your life simpler, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the option to monitor temperatures while you’re out. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t run like it should, but our heating and cooling specialists at Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning can take care of the problem fast.

If you’re experiencing weird heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at to request your appointment now.