Amongst the smart thermostats, Nest is the most popular and for obvious reasons. It learns the household’s schedules and preferences to create an even better and more energy-efficient program. Additionally, with the help of a good wifi connection at home and on your phone, you can control the indoor temperature settings from anywhere. Life couldn’t be any simpler. Moreover, these thermostats work with most 24 Volt heating and cooling systems, and in those cases where it is not compatible, a professional HVAC tech can still help you out.
Nest is a really advanced thermostat that offers homeowners tremendous energy savings. Nonetheless, there are times it does not work as it ideally should. Does that mean it was a wasted investment? Definitely not. It just means a little more time spent on figuring out what isn’t right and fixing it. Consequently, today’s post will address why your Nest thermostat isn’t working and how to fix it.
Problems You May Encounter With A Nest Thermostat
Although we are talking specifically about the Nest thermostat, now would be the best time to mention that the issues we are going to discuss below are not unique to it. In fact, you may encounter these with any smart thermostat.
1. Thermostat Won’t Turn On – Not a grave issue. If your Nest thermostat doesn’t turn on, take it off from the base and try charging it using a USB cable. You can use either your wall charger or computer to do it. Allow it to charge for a minimum of 1 hour.
In case the thermostat turns on with just a few minutes of charging, power it off or switch it off. Now switch it on again and allow it to finish charging completely. Once it is fully juiced up, you can unhook it from the charging station and remount or attach it to the base.
If the thermostat seems to be slow and sluggish, just restart it. That will take care of the problem, and things will work more smoothly after that.
2. Thermostat Not Cooling – The worst thing that could happen is you wanted your home cool and set the thermostat to cooling, and yet it is hot air that blows from the vents. Do not fret, for this simply means you did not hook up the Nest thermostat correctly. It is an indication of wrong wiring.
A Nest thermostat requires wiring according to a conventional row. You have most probably wired it as per heat pump row. So correcting the connections will solve the problem.
To correct the wiring yourself:
1. Visit the Nest website.
2. Add your thermostat to the Nest app, and you will get the correct interactive wiring guide.
3. Precisely follow this guide to rewire the thermostat.
The other option is to ask your local HVAC contractor to send a technician to rewire the thermostat.
Once the corrections are done, your thermostat will automatically identify the appropriate wiring and cool and heat indoors as asked.
3. Rh Wire Not Receiving Power – When you hook up the Nest thermostat for the first time, it may tell you the Rh wire is not getting any power, and hence the thermostat can’t turn on. Usually, this happens because of a tripped breaker. However, you can’t simply open up the air handler. First, ensure that all the breakers are off and the unit is not receiving any power.
Now look for the reason why the breaker tripped. Most probably, it is because of a blown fuse. You can get hold of a new fuse at your local hardware store. Replace the blown fuse with a new one, and you are all set to enjoy the benefits of your Nest thermostat.
Some Questions We Are Asked Frequently
Ques – Why has my thermostat stopped working?
Ans – Most likely, its batteries have run out of juice, and hence the thermostat has stopped working.
Ques – How will I know my thermostat is charging?
Ans – A blinking red light can be seen on top of the thermostat when it is charging.
Ques – How should I start my Nest thermostat for the first time, with heating or cooling?
Ans – Always go with forced-air heating when using your Nest thermostat for the first time.
Ques – Why is the thermostat not reading the indoor temperature correctly?
Ans – Many times, we don’t pay heed to the exact location of where the thermostat is installed. If you install it close to a heat source like electrical appliances, a window, at the end of a close passage, etc., its sensors will not be able to judge the indoor temperature correctly. Sometimes it may even lead to overheating of the wifi-chip, in which case also the temperature reading will be off the mark.
Ques – When should I reset my Nest thermostat?
Ans – Resetting the Nest thermostat will remove all your old preferences, schedules, and even personal information. It’s like wiping the slate clean. Ideally, you should reset the thermostat only when you are planning to install it in a new location.
Summary
Nest is an amazing thermostat that may act up from time to time. None of these problems are severe. Some of you can correct them on your own, and others may require the services of a professional. Since you are now equipped to troubleshoot the issues, it’s time for you to have confidence in your decision to go with Nest. Take our word for it; at present there’s nothing else out there topping it. It’s the best.
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