Why Your Nest Thermostat Isn't Operating Right and How to Repair It

April 13, 2021

The Nest thermostat is one of the most popular smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It figures out your temperature preferences and makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And by geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E know when you’re at your home or away and can raise and lower temperatures to help you save even more.

The Nest works with a wide range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a smart idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before getting one. Don’t forget to check 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 made sure it’s compatible, you can either install it without help or contact a HVAC pro like Woody's Sudden Service Inc. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll spot 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 problem as the thermostat can pull enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some cases, your heating and cooling system might need 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The Google Nest Thermostat is a step up from outdated programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and wiring to connect to Wi-Fi, power its digital display and run your heating and cooling system.

8 Common Nest Thermostat Problems

If it can’t receive ample juice, Nest says you might have some of these problems:

  1. Short battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing is disabled.
  3. Your thermostat every now and then disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
  5. Your system is producing odd noises, such as chattering, stuttering, clicking or thumping.
  6. Heating or cooling is short cycling, or constantly 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 always on, won’t run or turns off and on repeatedly in a short period of time.

You might think something is wrong with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, it’s best to start with your thermostat first. This is especially timely if the weather is mild, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning frequently.

Our Professionals Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Problems

If you’ve gone through Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t fix the dilemma, a smart thermostat pro like one from Woody's Sudden Service Inc can provide support. We can diagnose the malfunction and put in a C-wire, if necessary.

Smart thermostats such as the Nest are made to make your life simpler, through automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to keep an eye on temperatures while you’re away from home. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t run correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at Woody's Sudden Service Inc can take care of the problem fast.

If you’re experiencing odd heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, call us at 703-278-2036 to set up your appointment today.