Nest thermostats are some of the most appreciated thermostats on the market. They will offer you the perfect comfort in your home, and they will help you save energy at the same time. But many customers are confused by the lights and their blinking or flashing feature. If you are wondering what does it mean when Nest thermostat lights start blinking, you came to the right place!
Nest thermostat lights
You will notice that your Nest thermostat has red, green, orange, yellow, white, and blue lights. At times one of these lights will blink or flash but there will be times when more lights will blink or flash at the same time and when no lights are on. It is important to understand how each one of these lights is working and what is the meaning behind its flashing or blinking so you can make the most out of your thermostat.
Nest Thermostat Blinking Red Light
Maybe one of the most concerning lights for Nest users is the blinking red light. However, as soon as you understand why this light is blinking you will find that there is nothing to worry about. Most often than not, depending on the model of your Nest thermostat, a blinking red light could happen along with a blank screen. There are times when you could also see an image of a lighthouse blinking in a green shade right in the middle of the screen too.
The main reason your red light might be blinking is to warn you that your thermostat is running out of battery. This is also one of the most common explanations in the instructions that you will receive along with your device.
How to fix it
A blinking red light is easy to fix. You can allow your thermostat to get off battery completely, or you can decide to recharge it as soon as you notice the blinking, red light.
Give your thermostat time to recharge completely. This could take anywhere from ten minutes to two hours. There are situations when Nest thermostats don’t charge as easily and in this case, you will have to use a USB cable to help them charge directly.
Once your thermostat is recharged, it will restart normally and you shouldn’t see the blinking, red light anymore.
Nest Thermostat Blinking Green Light
Another common light that might flash is the green light which is situated right at the top of your thermostat. A blinking green light that lets you know that your Nest thermostat is updating or installing software. This flashing green light could also mean that your thermostat is restarting or maybe just starting up. Either way, there is no need to worry when you see the flashing green light on your thermostat.
You will notice that the green light will only flash for a couple of minutes. As soon as the software or update is installed properly, the light will stop.
There are also situations when your green light might get stuck, which means it will not be flashing. If this is the case, your thermostat got frozen in the middle of the updating or installing process.
How to fix a frozen Nest thermostat
The first thing you will have to do is check if the pins are lined up the right way. To do that you will have to remove the display from the base and put it back on. Installations that are complete with no problems make a clicking sound at the end of the process.
If your screan doesn’t start, you will have to press on the display for ten seconds and your Nest thermostat should restart without the frozen green light.
Nest Thermostat Blinking Orange Light
A blinking orange light can also be fairly common in Nest thermostats. This light will show up when your thermostat seems to work just fine, which makes it that much more confusing. Your heat will be at the right level, your thermostat will be functioning correctly, but you will notice this orange light blinking.
The orange light on the Nest thermostat might be blinking for maintenance reasons. For instance, you might need to charge your thermostat or update its software, depending on the model you have.
How to fix it
If your thermostat needs an update, the blinking, orange light will stop after the updating is complete. On the other hand, if the reason for the blinking orange light is charging, you will have to connect your thermostat to a USB cable and charge it like that. Make sure you use a USB cable that is compatible with the model of your thermostat. When the charging is complete, you will be able to reuse your thermostat without having to worry about the blinking orange light.
Nest Thermostat Flashing Yellow Light
You might also notice a flashing yellow light on your Nest thermostat. The yellow light might actually be a reason for concern as it signifies a disfunction of your thermostat. When the yellow light is flashing, it means that your Nest thermostat is not properly connected to the Heat link. If your thermostat is not heating up your house as you would expect it to or if you don’t have hot water, the flashing yellow light will tell you that there is a problem with this connection that you need to address.
Note that this is a common problem at Nest thermostats in Europe because the US version of these thermostats comes without a heat link.
How to fix it
This problem will have different solutions according to the thermostat model that you are using. The most common solution, however, is found in the app that you use with your Nest thermostat. If there is a connection malfunction, you will also see a notification in your app or an error code. In this case, all you have to do is follow the steps suggested in the app so you can fix the connection yourself.
If you can’t re-establish the connection between your Nest thermostat and the Heat link, you can still activate it manually. To do that, press the button that is placed in the middle of the heat link and the connection will restart manually.
To fix this problem you might also have to contact customer support if both solutions recommended here fail.
Nest Thermostat Blinking White Light
The blinking white light on the Nest thermostat notifies you about a starting error. This means that you might find it hard to start or restart your Nest thermostat altogether. Unfortunately, this is not a software error but more of a hardware error. So, you will have to know how a Nest thermostat is installed and connected in order to fix the problem.
You might get the blinking white light issue after you connect your thermostat to the router or after an update. In some cases, the white light starts blinking after a manual restart too.
How to fix it
The first thing to do if you face this problem is to check if the wires are connected properly. Make sure the wires and connectors are linked the way they should be for both the heating and cooling features.
You will also have to check if your Nest thermostat is placed correctly on the base and has the stability it needs. You might want to remove and reattach the display as well since this might solve the problem too. If the issue remains, try restarting your thermostat. To do that, hold down the thermostat ring button for up to ten seconds and release it.
Once the while light stopped blinking, you might have to reset your Nest thermostat again to make sure it functions the way you need it.
Nest Thermostat Flashing Blue Light
You will notice that the flashing blue light is quite common in Nest learning thermostats. This light, however, is nothing to be concerned about. It usually starts blinking during the restart process. Once your Nest thermostat works properly, the blue light should stop flashing.
However, there are still situations when the blue light doesn’t stop flashing after a couple of minutes, and you will have to fix it yourself.
How to fix it
To get rid of the flashing blue light, you will have to make sure the heating cable, as well as the cooling cable, are connected the right way. The next aspect to check is the alignment of the pins and you can do that by removing the display and reattaching it after you checked.
If everything seems in order when you check the wires of your thermostat and the pins but you still can’t get rid of the flashing bluer light you will have to restart your thermostat manually. After you restart the thermostat, you will have to reconfigure it but the flashing blue light should be gone.
No Light On My Nest Thermostat
Sometimes, not the lights that are blinking or flashing could be the most concerning for users of Nest thermostats, but a blank screen as well. If your thermostat went blank, most likely it ran out of battery. In more serious situations, a blank screen could also mean that the wires are not connected properly or that the thermostat failed to install the software.
How to fix it
If the problem is a drained battery, all you will have to do is recharge your thermostat and restart it. This should get your screen to work correctly immediately.
If the reason for a blank screen is not the battery, you will have to check the wires and make sure none is burned. Also, make sure the thermostat is connected to compatible devices and it is receiving electricity in order to turn on.
If nothing seems to bring the screen of your thermostat back to life, you might need to contact customer support.
Combination of Blinking Green and Orange Lights
If both your green and orange lights are blinking at the same time, your thermostat could have an internal error. The green and orange lights, both blinking at the same time is common for Nest thermostats that encounter a fan issue. If this is the cause of your blinking lights, you might notice that the fan starts to act differently, from speeding up to shutting off completely and then starting back on. It is possible for the fan to stop working completely while these two lights are blinking.
How to fix it
The best solution to deal with blinking green and orange lights is recharging your Nest thermostat. You will have to recharge it by pulling the display off the box and using the right USB cable. You want to allow it to charge up to two hours to make sure it has enough battery to run all its features, including the fan, properly.
Combination of Blinking Yellow and Green Lights
Similarly, you might notice that the yellow and green lights start blinking together at the same time. This is more common in European Nest thermostats and it can signify a broken connection with the heat link as well as an updating process that can’t be completed by this connection.
How to fix it
You can fix this issue in a similar way as you took care of blinking green and orange lights. Recharging the battery by using the right USB cable can help you get rid of the yellow and green lights. But make sure you put the display back correctly once it is charged and give it all the time it needs to get fully charged. Restart your thermostat and the blinking lights should be gone.
Final thoughts
Now that you know what each light means on your Nest thermostat and how you can fix it, there is no need to panic next time you see any of them blinking or flashing. However, make sure you can get in touch with customer service if the solutions in this guide don’t work. In this situation, your Nest thermostat might have a more serious problem that needs to be addressed by a professional in the matter.
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