The Nest thermostat is one of the best-selling smart thermostats you can get. And for good reason. It learns your temperature preferences and develops 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 out and about and can adjust settings to help you save even more.

The Nest is compatible with a full range of 24-volt heating and cooling systems, but it’s always a smart idea to use the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before installing one. Don’t forget to contact your energy company for valuable rebates, since 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 yourself or call a HVAC specialist like West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services. If you’re putting it in without help, you’ll see 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. In most cases, Nest says this isn’t an issue since the thermostat can get adequate power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some instances, your heating and cooling system could 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The Google Nest Thermostat is an improvement from outdated programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It relies on 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 Issues

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

  1. Short battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
  3. Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system abruptly turns on or off, or won’t stop running.
  5. Your system is producing strange 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 message on your Nest thermostat’s screen, like “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is constantly running, won’t run 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 begin with your thermostat first. This is especially timely if the weather is moderate, and you haven’t been relying on your heat or air conditioning consistently.

Our Specialists Can Fix Nest Thermostat Issues

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t fix the problem, a smart thermostat professional like one from West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services can support you. We can pinpoint the problem and install a C-wire, if necessary.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are created to make your life easier, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the option to keep an eye on settings while you’re away from home. It’s a time-consuming experience when yours won’t work correctly, but our heating and cooling pros at West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services can resolve the trouble fast.

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