Info about the features of the Nest Learning Thermostat, system compatibility and our go-to-market approach. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Go to nest.com/support to search Nest’s full knowledge base.
 

FAQ Glossary

1. Where can I buy Nest?
2. What's the difference between the Nest Certified Professional program and the Nest Concierge service?
3. Why are you selling direct to consumer?
4. What is the wholesale price of the Nest Learning Thermostat?
5. How does Nest help me?
6. How is Nest planning to help customers who incorrectly install Nest?

1. How does Nest learn?
2. Can learning be turned off?
3. Can Nest be programmed?
4. Can setpoints for humidity and fan be learned or programmed?
5. Does Nest have auto changeover?
6. If Nest is in an out-of-the-way place, will Auto-Away still work?
7. Will Auto-Away go into effect at night?
8. How does Auto-Away work with pets?
9. Does Nest have Safety Temperatures?
10. What’s Thermostat Lock?
11. What’s Nest’s temperature differential?
12. How accurate are Nest’s temperature and humidity sensors?
13. Are Nest’s relays silent?
14. How is Nest powered?
15. Does Nest need a common wire?
16. What happens to Nest if the power fails?
17. Does Nest work with multistage systems?
18. Is Wi-Fi required?
19. Does Nest work with zoning?
20. How do multiple Nests coordinate in the same home?
21. How does Nest work in an office or business?

1. Why can’t jumper wires be used with Nest?
2. What if Nest isn't getting enough power from W or Y and the consumer doesn't have a Common (“C”) wire installed?
3. What does it mean when a red or green LED is flashing below the Nest display?
4. What is Automatic Configuration?
5. For heat pumps, can compressor lockout and auxiliary lockout temperatures be set?
6. Does Nest have minimum on-off times?
7. Will Nest overshoot the target temperature with systems like radiant heating?
8. How does Nest indicate and manage second stage or auxiliary heat?
9. How can second stage or auxiliary heat be tested at installation?
10. Does Nest control the fan differently with second stage or auxiliary heat?
11. What kind of remote troubleshooting is possible with Nest?
12. How does a customer see their Energy History?

Go-to-market

1. Where can I buy Nest?
   

   Beginning in early December 2011, the Nest Learning Thermostat will be available through our current distributor partners, Carrier Enterprise, Gemaire Group, and Heating & Cooling Supply. You can also buy it at nest.com, bestbuy.com and select Best Buy retail locations, as supply allows.
   
    

2. What's the difference between the Nest Certified Professional program and the Nest Concierge service?
   

   The Nest Certified Professional program is Nest's authorized reseller program. Only Nest Certified Professionals can purchase Nest directly from distributors. Other benefits include VIP support, sales and marketing materials, and a personal use discount. Nest Certified Professionals must complete a questionnaire and Nest product training. To learn more, please visit certified.nest.com. During the Nest Certified application process, professionals are also asked if they are interested in becoming part of the Nest Concierge service.
   
   The Nest Concierge service connects installers with homeowners who have added the cost a professional installation to their purchase at nest.com. Nest coordinates with professionals to perform these installations at a fixed price, and to call customers to schedule this installation within 24 hours of the Nest ship date.
   
    

3. Why are you selling direct to consumer?

   At Nest, we believe in giving people choices, which is why we provide both professional installation and DIY options, as well as multiple options for purchase – through a professional installer or online.  Nest is also available in stores so people can experience it before making a purchase decision. Ultimately, our goal is to get people thinking and talking about thermostats, and to choose the path (professional installation or DIY) they’re most comfortable with.
   
    

4. What is the wholesale price of the Nest Learning Thermostat?
   Please contact your local HVAC distributor to find out more about pricing and availability for HVAC professionals.
   
    

5. How does Nest help me?

   As you may have noticed, since Nest launched, more people are talking and thinking about thermostats, which is a good thing for the industry.  Our goal is to create consumer desire and to jump start conversations about thermostats, energy consumption, heating and cooling. Ultimately, we want people to consider updating their existing systems and thermostats for improved energy efficiency. Many of these consumers will turn to HVAC professionals for guidance and advice, so we encourage you to become a Nest Certified Professional here.
   
    

6. How is Nest planning to help customers who incorrectly install Nest?

   If a customer has an installation issue that can’t be resolved by our knowledgeable support professionals, we will refer that customer to a Nest Certified Professional in the customer’s area.

Features

1. How does Nest learn?
   

   Nest uses Nest Sense (a combination of algorithms and temperature, humidity and activity sensors) to learn schedules and to customize energy saving features for each home. During the first week or so, each manual temperature change will contribute to Nest’s schedule. After that, Nest will only learn from patterns of similar changes. Throughout the first week, Nest’s energy saving features (Auto-Away, Time to Temperature, and the Nest Leaf) will appear. When the seasons change and users switch between heating and cooling, Nest will learn a new schedule and new Time to Temperature estimates. Once Nest has learned schedules for both heating and cooling seasons, it will use these schedules each time the season changes.
   
   For more information, see How does learning work?
   
    

2. Can learning be turned off?

   Learning can be paused by selecting the pause option in Learning Settings. When learning is paused, Nest works like a programmable thermostat and follows the schedule without adapting it over time. If learning is resumed, Nest will start to adapt the schedule according to user preferences. Setpoints can be changed directly in the schedule at any time. The only difference is that when learning is on, the schedule will adapt on its own and when learning is paused, the schedule will not.
   
   For more information, see How does Nest work when learning is paused? 
   
    

3. Can Nest be programmed?

   Yes, Nest can easily be programmed for a heating or cooling schedule by manually adjusting the schedule on Nest or on your Nest Account. Target temperatures can be set on the hour or at 15-minute intervals -- like at 7:00, 3:30, or 12:45. Adjacent temperatures must be at least 60 minutes apart.
   
   For more information, see How do I program a heating or cooling schedule?
   
    

4. Can setpoints for humidity and fan be learned or programmed?

   For now, setpoints for humidity and fan can’t be learned, controlled or programmed on Nest. However, the current humidity can be viewed in Technical Information in Settings, and the fan can always be turned on manually in Settings.
   
    

5. Does Nest have auto changeover?

   Because Nest learns heating and cooling schedules separately, users must switch between heating and cooling modes on the Nest menu, Nest Account or Nest Mobile app. If a schedule with both heating and cooling setpoints is needed, use a Range Schedule. Range Schedules include both heating and cooling setpoints but must be programmed, not learned.
   
   For more information, see What is a Range schedule? 
   
    

6. If Nest is in an out-of-the-way place, will Auto-Away still work?

   If Nest is placed in a closet or other location where it can’t properly sense activity, its Auto- Away feature will never be activated. During the first week or so of learning, Nest will customize Auto-Away to the user’s home. If Nest is in a location where Auto-Away will work, a notification will appear on the screen and in Settings to inform the user. If Nest determines that Auto-Away can't work, that information will be visible in Settings. Auto-Away can also be turned off manually in Settings. 

   For more information, see What is Auto-Away?
   
    

7. Will Auto-Away go into effect at night?

   Nest won’t go into Auto-Away at night, since that’s when most households are asleep. To save energy at night, users should turn Nest down before going to bed. After a few days, Nest will learn to lower the temperature at night. It's important to note, however, that if Nest is in a business or office, Auto-Away will turn on at night. 
   
   
   

8. How does Auto-Away work with pets?

   In some homes, the presence of pets may end Auto-Away mode before users have returned home. Whether or not pets affect Auto-Away depends on Nest’s location in the home and the size of the pet(s) - for example, large dogs may trigger Auto-Away, but cats or smaller dogs may not. The placement of the thermostat is also important. In many homes, Nest maintains Auto-Away even with the presence of pets. To keep pets comfortable, users should select appropriate Away temperatures at installation. Away temperatures can also be set by selecting Auto-Away in Settings. If Nest’s Auto-Away mode is interrupted due to the presence of pets, users can set Nest to Away mode manually instead. When Nest is set to Away mode manually, it will stay in Away mode until the mode is changed by the user. Away mode can be set on Nest's display, on the Nest Account and on the Nest Mobile app (Wi-Fi required).
   
   
    

9. Does Nest have Safety Temperatures?

   Yes. In the Safety Temperature section of the Advanced Settings menu, users can enter a temperature range, below which Nest will automatically start heating and above which Nest will automatically start cooling. Nest’s default Safety Temperature will turn the heat on if the indoor temperature falls below 45°F. Nest doesn’t have a default Safety Temperature for cooling. Safety Temperatures won’t be enforced when the thermostat is in OFF mode. Note that Nest will never cool when the temperature is below 45°F or heat when it's above 95°F.
   
   For more information, see How do Safety Temperatures work? 
   
    

10. What’s Thermostat Lock?

    With Nest’s Thermostat Lock feature, users can lock the range of temperatures within which Nest can be adjusted using a 4 digit pin number. Thermostat Lock prevents others from setting the temperature outside the designated range. The minimum range is 2°F.
    
    For more information, see How do I lock Nest within a specific temperature range? 
    
     

11. What’s Nest’s temperature differential?

    Nest has a 1°F temperature differential. Nest will turn on the heat when the indoor temperature is 1°F below the setpoint and will turn off the heat when the indoor temperature is 1°F above the setpoint. Control for cooling works the same way.
    
    
    

12. How accurate are Nest’s temperature and humidity sensors?

    Nest’s temperature sensors are rated to be accurate within +/- 1°F and its humidity sensors are rated to be accurate to +/- 3% RH.
    
    
    

13. Are Nest’s relays silent?

    Yes. Because Nest uses solid state switching instead of relays, there is no noise when Nest switches on or off.
    
    
    

14. How is Nest powered?

    Nest has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Nest recharges this battery in one of two ways: by powering off systems with a common wire or by power-stealing from systems without a common wire. The built-in battery lasts for 7-10 years and can be replaced by a professional. The Nest Learning Thermostat doesn’t require external power bricks, chargers or other methods of power.
    
    
    

15. Does Nest need a common wire?

    With 99% of compatible HVAC systems, Nest can charge itself sufficiently without a Common (“C”) wire. There are some exceptions. These systems may require a common wire in order to be compatible with Nest. You can view a list of known exceptions here.
    
    To learn more about common wire options, click here.
    
    
    

16. What happens to Nest if the power fails?

    With typical usage, Nest’s battery lasts for about a week or longer after a power failure. Nest will last about three days with heavy usage. A red LED blinks below the display when Nest isn’t charging. After the power returns, the red LED will continue to blink until Nest is back to full power (typically about 30 minutes). The date, time and time zone shouldn’t be affected as Nest will recover this information over Wi-Fi even if the battery has drained completely. If Nest is not connected to Wi-Fi, users should input the date and time manually after a power failure.
    
    
    

17. Does Nest work with multistage systems?

    Nest is compatible with two stage heating systems, one stage cooling systems, one stage heat pumps with auxiliary heat or two stage heat pumps with no auxiliary heat. Nest is not compatible with proprietary systems that use their own thermostat communication protocols, millivolt systems or dual fuel systems.
    
    To check compatibility with specific systems, please visit the Nest Compatibility Widget. For more information, see Nest and Proprietary Systems.
    
    
    

18. Is Wi-Fi required?

    All of Nest's core learning and energy saving features works without Wi-Fi, although certain features—like remote control, weather, and automatic software updates—do require Wi-Fi. 
    
    For more information, see Do I need Wi-Fi to use Nest?
    
    
    

19. Does Nest work with zoning?

    Since each Nest Learning Thermostat learns a separate schedule, Nest can work with zoned systems. Nest is compatible with many zone relay panels, although a common wire may be required for compatibility.
    
     

20. How do multiple Nests coordinate in the same home?

    With multiple Nest Learning Thermostats in one home, each thermostat will learn a separate schedule. So the user can teach the Nest in the kitchen to turn the temperature up in time for breakfast while the Nest in the bedroom turns down. Multiple Nests will also work together: When every Nest Learning Thermostat in the house senses that users are away, all Nests will go into Auto-Away. When one Nest senses that users have returned, each Nest will return to its usual schedule.
    
    For more information, see How does Nest work with multiple Nest Learning Thermostats in one home?
    





21. How does Nest work in an office or business?

    During setup, Nest will ask whether it's located in a home or office. If it's an office, Nest will ask whether employees are typically in on nights and weekends. This will help Nest schedule Auto-Away. In many offices, Nest will turn Auto-Away on at night. All of Nest's features that are available in a home are also available in a business or office, including remote control, Time to Temperature and Energy History.
    
    For more information, see How does Nest work in an office or small business?
    

Installation and troubleshooting

1. Why can’t jumper wires be used with Nest?

   Nest’s press connectors are built so that only one wire can be inserted per connector. Please don’t put any jumper wires in Nest connectors. For example, Nest has an automatic internal jumper between the Rh and Rc wires. If both an Rh and Rc wire are put in their respective connectors, Nest will not jumper the connectors together. If the system has both heating and cooling and only one R wire, Nest will automatically jumper the connectors together.
   
   
   

2. What if Nest isn't getting enough power from W or Y and the consumer doesn't have a Common (“C”) wire installed?

    

   While we find that in the vast majority of homes Nest can charge its built in battery power sharing from the regular heating and cooling wires, a few installations require a common wire to bring power to Nest without interfering with the normal operation of the heating and cooling system. 
    
   What are the symptoms of a power sharing issue?
   In conventional heating and cooling or cooling only systems:
   • Cooling is always on or on intermittently when Nest is not calling for cooling.
   • Cooling does not activate when Nests calls for cooling.
   • Cooling intermittently deactivates while Nest is still calling for cooling.
    
   In conventional heating only systems:
   • Heating is always on or on intermittently when Nest is not calling for heating.
   • Heating does not activate when Nests calls for heating.
   • Heating intermittently deactivates while Nest is still calling for heating.
   • There is a unusual noise coming from the customer's heating system.
    
   In heat pump systems:
   • Heating or cooling is always on or on intermittently when Nest is not calling for it.
   • Heating or cooling does not activate when Nest calls for it.
   • Heating or cooling intermittently deactivates while Nest is still calling for it
    
   In these situations, Nest can't successfully charge from the Y or W wires without interfering with the normal operation of the heating and cooling system. There are three options; these changes should only be made by professionals.
    
   Use a spare wire as common wire
   Ordinarily you can solve the problem by turning an unused wire in the thermostat wire bundle into a common wire.  Simply connect one end of the the spare or unused wire to the Common (“C”) terminal in the HVAC controller and the other end to Nest's C connector.
    
   Add a resistor to an existing Y or W wire
   We've found that many Y and W wire circuits  that cannot supply enough power can be strengthened by bridging the Common (“C”) terminal at the HVAC equipment to W or Y through a 220-ohm, 5W resistor.
    
   In a heat-only system, you need to bridge from common C to W. In a HVAC system with a Y wire, you must bridge from common C to Y. (Nest can only charge from W when Y is not connected.)
    
   
    
   The heat call is detected by the controller board when the W wire is shorted to the R wire, which causes the 24V AC voltage to be detected. When the Nest thermostat is taking power, a small voltage is generated between W and C (typically less than 8 volts) which can cause a false heat call in a small number of systems. The addition of a 220 Ohm resistor at the furnace provides another current path to the thermostat, which reduces the voltage input at the detect circuit to prevent false heat calls. 
    
   Note that this resistor will draw a couple of watts during call for heat (or cool, if the resistor is added to Y) and it will become warm. Make sure to mount the resistor so that it is not in contact with any wires or system components. Between heat or cool calls, the resistor will dissipate less than a ¼ watt.
    
   Pull a new C wire
   Replace the thermostat wiring bundle to provide an extra wire to be used as common.
   
    

3. What does it mean when a red or green LED is flashing below the Nest display?

   During installation, a red LED may flash below the display if Nest needs time to charge. Just leave Nest attached to the HVAC system for around 30 minutes. This will allow Nest to charge enough to complete setup. Nest comes out of the box fully charged, but can lose charge if it is on but not connected to an HVAC system. Otherwise, Nest should only run out of charge during a power failure. A flashing green LED will appear during a system reboot, software update or when the Nest display first connects to the Nest base during installation. If the red LED flashes post-install, or if the green LED flashes often, please contact us at support@nest.com.
   
   
   

4. What is Automatic Configuration?

   Nest can mechanically and electrically detect wires inserted into its press connectors. When Nest senses which wires have been connected to its base, it will automatically configure its software for the system type it has detected. If it’s a heat only system, Nest won’t show any cooling options. If it’s a heat pump, Nest will know and do a special test to check the orientation of the O/B wire.
   
   For more information, please see How does Automatic Configuration work?
   
   
   

5. For heat pumps, can compressor lockout and auxiliary lockout temperatures be set?

   Both auxiliary and compressor lockout temperatures can be changed in the Heat Pump section of the Advanced Settings menu. By default, Nest will lock out the auxiliary heater when the outdoor temperature is above 50°F but will not lock out the compressor at any temperature. The lockout temperatures are only enforced when Nest is connected to Wi-Fi so it can track outdoor temperatures, and should only be set by a professional.
   
   For more information, see How to set lockout temperatures on Nest.
   
   
   

6. Does Nest have minimum on-off times?

   Yes. To protect the heating and cooling systems it controls, Nest’s minimum on-off times are five minutes for heat pumps and air conditioning systems and three minutes for conventional systems. Nest uses these times for all scheduled setpoints. When the temperature is changed by the user, Nest uses no minimum on-off lockout time for conventional systems but still uses a two and a half minute lockout for cooling and heat pumps. A countdown to the expiration of the lockout will appear at the bottom of the display to inform the user.
   
   
   

7. Will Nest overshoot the target temperature with systems like radiant heating?

   Many thermostats overshoot the target temperature by a few degrees, particularly with systems that continue to heat even after the system has been turned off, like underfloor hydronic radiant heat. If Nest notices the temperature overshooting, it will correct for it after the first few cycles. As Nest continues to learn about each home and heating system, it will increase its accuracy even for systems that are prone to overshooting or undershooting.
   
   For more information, please see Why does the temperature keep rising after the heater has turned off?
   
   
   

8. How does Nest indicate and manage second stage or auxiliary heat?

   Nest will show "HEAT x2" on the top of the display when conventional second stage heat is active and "AUX. HEAT" when heat pump auxiliary heat is active. Nest uses Time to Temperature (the estimate of how long it will take to reach the target temperature) to decide when to use second stage or auxiliary heat. If it is estimated to take longer than 20 minutes to reach the setpoint using only the first stage or if the home isn’t heating as quickly as expected, Nest will enable a second stage of heat or auxiliary heat. Note that auxiliary heat will only turn on below the auxiliary lockout temperature regardless of the Time to Temperature.
   
   
   

9. How can second stage or auxiliary heat be tested at installation?

   Before Nest has activated Time to Temperature, second stage heat will turn on when the setpoint is raised 4°F. Auxiliary heat will turn on when the setpoint is 4°F and the outdoor temperature is below 50°F, the default auxiliary heat lockout temperature. Auxiliary lockout can be turned off in the Heat Pump section of Advanced Settings in order to test auxiliary heat. To test second stage or auxiliary heat at installation, just raise the temperature 4°F in heating mode with the auxiliary lockout turned off. Once Time to Temperature is activated, Nest will use this feature to manage second stage and auxiliary heat.
   
   
   

10. Does Nest control the fan differently with second stage or auxiliary heat?

    Nest controls the fan in the same way for each stage of heat. So if either stage of heat is electric or forced air, you’ll need to select those options during setup to ensure that the fan is controlled properly.
    
    For more information, please see How does Nest manage second stage and auxiliary heat?
    
    
    

11. What kind of remote troubleshooting is possible with Nest?

    Nest’s remote troubleshooting features are available with the Nest Account or Nest Mobile app, where users can view technical information and diagnostics and change settings over Wi-Fi. 
    
    
    

12. How does a customer see their Energy History?

    Nest shows seven days of Energy History data. Energy data is normalized for the household’s regular level of usage. Nest does not have notifications for changes in system efficiency at this time.
    
    For more information, see How does the Energy History display work?