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 through geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E are aware of when you’re at your residence or gone and can raise and lower settings 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 getting one. Don’t forget to check with your energy supplier for valuable rebates, as you might be able to get a Nest for free or close to it.

Once you’ve checked it’s compatible, you can either wire it without help or contact a HVAC professional like Bain Heating & Air Conditioning. If you’re wiring it yourself, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is just 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 because the thermostat can draw ample power from other heating and cooling wires.

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The Google Nest Thermostat is better than outdated programmable thermostats that use a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power.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

8 Common Nest Thermostat Malfunctions

If it can’t draw enough power, Nest says you may have some of these troubles:

  1. Poor battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t work.
  3. Your thermostat sometimes disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system suddenly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
  5. Your system is creating 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 notice on your Nest thermostat’s screen, along the lines of “heating is delayed for 2:30 minutes.”
  8. The system fan is constantly on, won’t run or turns off and on rapidly in a short period of time.

You could believe something is up with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we suggest you start with your thermostat first. This is especially true if the weather is temperate, and you haven’t been running your heat or air conditioning frequently.

Our Professionals Can Resolve Nest Thermostat Troubles

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting without help but can’t solve the dilemma, a smart thermostat specialist like one from Bain Heating & Air Conditioning can assist you. We can pinpoint the problem and install a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats including the Nest are made to make your life more convenient, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to monitor temps while you’re out. It’s an annoying experience when yours won’t work correctly, but our heating and cooling specialists at Bain Heating & Air Conditioning can take care of the issue in no time.

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