I’ve been using Nexia on my Trane Thermostat for years already and now that Nexia is being rebranded as Trane Home, I’m still going to use the app. Perhaps you are a Nexia user but are worried that everything will change as a result of the rebranding of the app. Or you’ve never used Nexia on a Trane thermostat and wonder what exactly Nexia (Trane Home) is.
Nexia (Trane Home) is a wireless, cloud-based smart home system enabling me to control my home’s smart devices, including my HVAC thermostat, from a central hub while each device still operates from its own app. Nexia (Trane Home) uses open architecture so that I can add features or components when needed. The app features voice activation, touch ID access, and geofencing.
The best way to explain the app and the rebranding in more detail is to tell you how I’m experiencing Nexia on my Trane thermostat and also share with you what I’ve found out about the rebranding of the app. I will not waste your time with irrelevant information, but only provide you with the essentials.
What is Nexia (Trane Home) on a Trane thermostat?
Nowadays, when my friends and family ask me to explain what is Nexia on my Trane thermostat and why I’m so excited about it, I first have to indicate to them that “Nexia” is now “Trane Home.” (I’ll discuss the detail regarding the rebranding of the app a little bit later in this article.)
What does the Trane Home (Nexia) app offer?
The Trane Home (Nexia) app offers me a smart home integration tool with many advantages. It provides me with advanced thermostat diagnostic features for aspects of my home such as air conditioning, ventilation, and heating. In other words, my Trane Home app (previously my Nexia app) assists me in remotely managing my HVAC system.
With this app, I can at any time and from anywhere remotely adjust my connected HVAC Trane thermostat and set or change heating and cooling schedules. I know some other thermostats are offering the same feature, but the advanced technology of the Trane Home app offers more. Amongst other things, it allows me to integrate with ”Awair Element.”
Awair Element
The Awair Element is an indoor air quality (IAQ) monitor. It monitors five air quality factors that might have an impact on my and my family’s health, comfort, and productivity when at home. This Trane Home feature continuously monitors my home’s indoor air quality score.
As soon as the IAQ score falls below ideal conditions, my Trane thermostat automatically takes action. The monitoring by the Trane Home app and the action the Trane thermostat is taking when necessary, are excellent examples of the coordination between the Nexia (Trane Home) app and my Trane thermostat.
Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Diagnostic features
Furthermore, the Trane Home app allows me to “talk” to my Trane thermostat. The Trane Home app’s commands can be voice-activated through Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
The Trane Home app also saves me money on repairs because of its “Diagnostics” feature. “Diagnostics” is a platform where my HVAC system and Trane thermostat are connected to my Trane dealer for easy problem-solving.
The dealer can remotely use real-time performance data to diagnose the problem. This enables his technician to expedite repairs by bringing the right parts to my home. In some instances, the problem can even be resolved online.
Is Nexia now Trane?
I’m a Nexia and Trane user for years already, but it has taken a brand name change to let me realize that Nexia has always actually been a Trane brand. I now realize that the name change is only to strengthen the Trane brand as a whole.
In other words, the question of whether Nexia is now Trane is irrelevant – Nexia has always been a Trane product. The name change from “Nexia” to “Trane Home” is an “administrative” change and not a technology and functionality shift.
Why is the Nexia mobile app rebranding to Trane Home?
According to my Trane dealer, the rebranding from the “Nexia mobile app” to the “Trane Home app” is being done to simplify the Trane brand. In principle, Trane wants its clients and users to experience that it is the same brand providing the mobile app, thermostat, and HVAC devices.
By using the Trane Home app, all communications, updates, and new features will directly relate to the Trane system. This will make it less confusing for clients. All existing integrations with products will remain the same.
My dealer also assured me that since Trane is an expert in HVAC, the further development of the Trane Home app will focus on developing features that relate to home comfort and air quality.
Has the app’s functionality changed?
When I researched online to see what functionality might have changed when my Nexia mobile app had been changed to the Trane Home app, I discovered that all the functionality was still in place. The only changes were “administrative” aspects.
I now have to log in to another portal – the portal at tranehome.com, and the name of the app is now “Trane Home”. With the name change, the colors and logo on the app are also different now. All the emails I now receive have as heading “Trane” instead of “Nexia.”
Since the change to Trane Home, there actually have been already new exciting developments. As an Android user, I now have the same option as iPhone users to receive Push Notifications instead of text message alerts.
What action do I need to take?
Generally speaking, no action is needed, although I had to take some minor actions.
1. Updating the Trane Home app
Usually, no update is necessary when the existing Nexia app is “transformed” to the new Trane Home app because the app automatically updates to the new branding with an app update. Thus, if the automatic app updates function is enabled on the mobile phone, no action is required.
Unfortunately, my mobile’s update function was disabled and I had to update manually. Because I have an Android phone, I visited the Google Play Store and went to “My Apps and Games.” Trane Home was listed as an update and I tap on it to complete the update. (If I had an iPhone or other mobile device using iOS, I would have visited the Apple App Store and selected “Accounts Settings” to get to the available update list.)
I also discovered that the updated app didn’t change any of my previous settings and I didn’t have to reconnect anything.
2. Firmware updates for devices
Sometimes, firmware updates for one or more devices might be necessary and have to be done manually. I’ve received the message to check for firmware updates and had to take the following easy steps:
- To check for updates I logged into the Trane Home web portal. Because I have multiple homes, I had to select the home I want to update first. (I repeated the procedure for every home individually.)
- After logging in, I clicked “Edit” under the picture of the home.
- The next step was to select “Firmware” at the top of the screen. Devices that had updates available displayed a button saying “Update Firmware,” and I clicked there to start.
- The Trane Home app then gave me the appropriate amount of time the update would take, and I confirmed to proceed.
- For my convenience, the app continuously displayed the progress of the update. When the update had been completed, the updated device rebooted and returned to normal function.
How do I reset my Trane Nexia thermostat?
I’ve found that when my Trane (Nexia) thermostat stops working after a power surge, it usually returns to normal after I’ve reset the thermostat. I follow a simple procedure for resetting.
Normal resetting
I locate the circuit breaker for my thermostat in the breaker box and flip the switch to the OFF position, which is with a circuit breaker usually in the middle position. I leave it off for 20 to 30 seconds and switch the circuit breaker on again by pressing the switch completely down and then up until it clicks into position. As the reset process can take a few minutes, I wait for about 20 to 30 minutes and then check whether the thermostat is working again.
How to reset my Trane thermostat to factory settings
Sometimes it is necessary to reset my thermostat to factory settings to clear up all the problems. To do that, I have to
- put off the thermostat’s circuit breaker,
- locate the air conditioner’s circuit breaker and turn it off,
- take the Trane thermostat off the wall,
- put everything back again and
- turn on the circuit breakers of both the air conditioner and the thermostat.
Final word
It is clear that the new branding of the Nexia app as the Trane Home app is being done to consolidate the Trane products and to prevent any confusion regarding the question of whether Nexia is a Trane product or not. It is literary only a name change without any functionality changes.
If you have more questions, I’m sure some of the answers to the following four FAQs may also be of help to you. I hope you are just as excited about your “new” Trane Home app as I’m about mine!
FAQ
Q1: What is the Trane app called?
A1: Previously it was called the Nexia app but it is now called the Trane Home App. It is available for Android and iOS systems from the applicable app store
Q2: How do I connect multiple homes’ Trane thermostats to my Trane Home app?
A2: Log into the Trane Home mobile app. Select the home where the thermostat is you want to connect. Tap the menu button in the upper left corner and then scroll down and select “Connect New Device.”
Q3: Is the Trane Home app free?
A3: You can download the Trane Home app for free from your app store.
Q4: Does the Trane Diagnostics stays always connected?
A4: Trane Diagnostics on your Trane Home app stays always connected to your Trane dealer. When a problem is encountered, the Trane Home-enabled thermostat sends an alert directly to the dealer.
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