If you’re amid the typical American households who spends more than $2,000 every year on energy bills, adding a smart thermostat is an excellent approach to keep energy expenses low. Although manyhouses use programmable thermostats, yours probably isn’t being used to the full advantage as it’s on “hold” all the time.

When upgrading your thermostat, the Nest smart thermostat is one of the top sellers. That’s due to the fact it picks up on your temperature preferences and schedule, and then makes an energy-efficient schedule to match. You can also monitor and lower it from almost anywhere with your smartphone.

For the typical home, Nest says its thermostat saves about 10-12% on heating costs and about 15% on cooling costs. That’s about $131 to $145 saved each year, which helps the product pay for itself in under two years. And the majority of utility companies offer rebate programs that help you purchase a smart thermostat for free or close to it.

When you’re installing a smart home thermostat, you’ll want to make sure it will work with your HVAC system. This is especially important if your equipment is aging. If it’s not, you may experience troubles, like weird furnace or air conditioner behavior. That’s why it’s critical to have a pro like Fire & Ice HVAC help you pick a new thermostat and take care of your smart thermostat installation.

Here’s how to determine if the Nest will work with your HVAC system.

Nest Works with Many Heating and Cooling Systems

The good news is that Nest made its thermostat to run with many different 24-volt systems, including aging ones.

This covers heating and cooling systems that run on:

  • Natural gas
  • Oil
  • Electricity

Before you purchase a Nest, you can run the Compatibility Checker to ensure an easy transition. Once you’ve double-checked it’s a match, your Nest will lead you through compatibility and wiring when you set it up.

The Nest Learning Thermostat is compatible with the widest number of home comfort units, such as heat pumps, furnaces and air conditioners. It also operates with extremely energy-efficient multistage systems, dual-fuel equipment, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, but you’ll typically need a professional like Fire & Ice HVAC to do the detailed wiring and setup process.

Does the Nest Require a C-Wire?

If you’ve done research on the Nest, you’ve likely run into info about the C-wire, or common wire. This wire runs your smart thermostat when it can’t pull enough power from the other wires.

If you don’t have a C-wire, it’s probably still all right to use a Nest. The company says its thermostats were created to use not much power. Most of the time, this means they can work correctly without this wire.

Have a smart thermostat without a C-wire and running into odd heating and cooling behavior? An HVAC specialist like Fire & Ice HVAC can install a C-wire for you.

Our Experts Make Smart Thermostat Installation Easy

Getting a new thermostat makes it a snap to keep track of your energy and cooling costs while keeping your {house|residences|home cozy. If you’re considering adding a Nest smart thermostat to your residence, Fire & Ice HVAC can help you select the ideal model for your home and then expertly install it. Call us at 703-595-4157 to get started right away!