The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats you can buy. And for good reason. It learns 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 home or away and can change settings to help you save even more.

The Nest can be used with a wide 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 check with your energy company for valuable rebates, as 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 on your own or contact a HVAC professional like Lanz Furnace and Fireplace. If you’re installing it on your own, you’ll notice 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. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a setback since the thermostat can draw ample power from other heating and cooling wires.

Sometimes, your heating and cooling system might require that C-wire. And here’s why.

Why Your Nest Keeps Losing Power and Other Malfunctions

The Google Nest Thermostat is better than outdated programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to sync with Wi-Fi, power its digital display and turn on your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Issues

If it can’t draw enough power, Nest says you might encounter some of these issues:

  1. Poor battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t work.
  3. Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
  5. Your system is creating strange noises, such as 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 always on, won’t turn on or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.

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

Our Professionals Can Fix Nest Thermostat Problems

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t repair the problem, a smart thermostat professional like one from Lanz Furnace and Fireplace can provide support. We can identify the malfunction and add a C-wire, if necessary.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are created to make your life more convenient, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the ability to monitor settings while you’re away from home. It’s a time-consuming experience when yours won’t operate properly, but our heating and cooling specialists at Lanz Furnace and Fireplace can fix the trouble 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 right away.