When you’re wanting approaches to lower heating and cooling costs, getting a smart thermostat is a wise decision. These devices pick up on your favorite temperatures and routine and then make an energy-efficient schedule that matches. What’s even better is that you can adjust and keep an eye on your settings from just about anywhere with your phone, whether you’re relaxing in bed or on the go. (You might even be able to get a free smart thermostat depending on rebate programs from your utility company in Bishop.)

Most of the time, adding a smart home thermostat with the help of Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning is a simple job if you have a newer house. But what if your house is older or doesn’t have the right wiring? Can you still install a smart thermostat without C wire? We’ll help you figure out the process so you can choose the recommended thermostat and receive energy savings for many years.

What Is a C Wire and What Does It Do on a Thermostat?

The majority of programmable thermostats need batteries. When you’re making the move to a smart thermostat, you’ll find that many need a C wire, or common wire, for power. If you don’t use this wire, your new thermostat might cause your heating and cooling system to have malfunctions.

You can find out if you have a C wire by doing the following:

  1. Switch off power to the thermostat at the breaker.
  2. Pull off the thermostat and find the wiring.
  3. If there are five or six multicolored wires, you have what you need for a smart thermostat. You might be pondering what color is the C wire on a thermostat—and the answer to that is typically blue.
  4. If there are three or four thin multicolored wires, you’re nearly there. Ensure the C wire isn’t hidden within the wall. If you can’t find one, we may be able to add one for you or you may be able to operate your new thermostat without one.
  5. If you have two thick wires, you may be able to use a smart thermostat with an adaptor designed for high-voltage systems. Or you may be able to operate a battery-powered smart thermostat, like the Lux Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat, if your wiring won’t work and you don’t want to install new wiring.

Do Nest or ecobee Need a C Wire?

Two of the top brands are the Nest smart thermostat and ecobee smart thermostat. If you have two to four wires, these thermostats may work for your home.

Nest says its thermostats are created to need not a lot of power and can frequently share it with your HVAC system. However, you may need to have a professional like Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning add a C wire with the Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat if you’re running into power problems or a battery that’s constantly drained.

ecobee works with 24-volt systems (ones with three to six thermostat wires) and has a C wire adaptor. So, you’re taken care of if you don’t have a thermostat C wire.

Rely on Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning for Your Smart Thermostat Installation Needs

At Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning, we’re always on the lookout for methods to keep you comfier while keeping energy costs reasonable. If you want to know more about switching to a smart thermostat without a C wire, reach us at 760-784-9034. We can help you select the right model for your residence and even install new wiring if necessary.