The Nest thermostat is one of the top-selling smart thermostats on the market today. And for good reason. It figures out your temperature preferences and makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. And using geofencing with your phone, the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest E realize when you’re at your home or out and about 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 wise idea to visit the Nest thermostat compatibility checker before purchasing one. Don’t forget to talk with your energy provider for valuable rebates, since 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 wire it yourself or contact a HVAC pro like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. If you’re putting it in yourself, you’ll see a terminal for the C-wire, or common wire. This wire is just used for powering your thermostat. If your home or HVAC system is older, you might not have one of these wires. Most of the time, Nest says this isn’t a problem since the thermostat can get enough power from other heating and cooling wires.

In some cases, 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 a step up from aging programmable thermostats that rely on a combination of wiring and AA batteries for power. It uses 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 receive adequate power, Nest says you could run into some of these issues:

  1. Short battery life.
  2. Thermostat motion sensing won’t operate.
  3. Your thermostat occasionally disconnects from Wi-Fi.
  4. Your system unexpectedly turns on or off, or won’t turn off.
  5. Your system is producing odd 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 always on, won’t run or turns off and on frequently in a short period of time.

You could think something is wrong with your heating and cooling system, but if you just started using the Nest, we recommend you begin with your thermostat first. This is especially timely if the weather is mild, and you haven’t been using your heat or air conditioning frequently.

Our Pros Can Solve Nest Thermostat Troubles

If you’ve attempted Nest thermostat troubleshooting by yourself but can’t repair the problem, a smart thermostat specialist such as one from Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc can assist you. We can diagnose the problem and install a C-wire, if required.

Smart thermostats like the Nest are designed to make your life simpler, with automatic energy-efficient programming and the opportunity to check settings while you’re away from home. It’s a frustrating experience when yours won’t work properly, but our heating and cooling pros at Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc can resolve the problem in no time.

If you’re experiencing odd heating and cooling behavior with your new Nest, give us a call at to set up your appointment right away.