When you’re wanting approaches to decrease heating and cooling bills, getting a smart thermostat is an intelligent idea. These devices adjust to your favorite temperatures and routine and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. What’s even better is that you can adjust and monitor your settings from nearly anywhere with your phone, whether you’re lying in bed or away from home. (You might even be able to get a free smart thermostat depending on rebate programs from your utility company in Macon.)

In many instances, hooking up a smart home thermostat with the support of Air Temperature Control is an uncomplicated job if you have a newer house. But what if your residence is older or doesn’t have the proper wiring? Can you still have a smart thermostat without C wire? We’ll help you demystify the process so you can choose the right thermostat and enjoy energy savings for years to come.

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

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

You can determine 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 often blue.
  4. If there are three or four thin multicolored wires, you’re close. Make sure the C wire isn’t rolled up in the wall. If you can’t find one, we may be able to put in one for you or you may be able to run your new thermostat without one.
  5. If you have two thick wires, you may be able to install a smart thermostat with an adaptor designed for high-voltage systems. Or you may be able to use a battery-powered smart thermostat, like the Lux Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat, if your wiring is incompatible and you don’t want to install new wiring.

Do Nest or ecobee Need a C Wire?

Two of the best-selling brands are the Nest smart thermostat and ecobee smart thermostat. If you have two to four wires, these thermostats could be an option for your needs.

Nest says its thermostats are designed to require not a lot of power and can frequently share it with your home comfort system. However, you may need to have a professional like Air Temperature Control install a C wire with the Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat if you’re running into power problems or a battery that’s always drained.

ecobee is compatible with 24-volt systems (ones with three to six thermostat wires) and includes a C wire adaptor. So, you’re good if you don’t have a thermostat C wire.

Rely on Air Temperature Control for Your Smart Thermostat Installation Needs

At Air Temperature Control, we’re always looking for methods to keep you cozier while keeping utility costs reasonable. If you want to know more about upgrading to a smart thermostat without a C wire, give us a call at 478-202-3170. We can help you select the right model for your home and even add new wiring if necessary.