When you’re seeking ways to lower heating and cooling bills, getting a smart thermostat is a wise idea. These devices learn your favorite temperatures and routine and then develop an energy-efficient schedule to match. What’s even better is that you can regulate and watch your settings from just about anywhere with your phone, whether you’re relaxing in bed or away from home. (You might even be eligible for a free smart thermostat depending on rebate programs from your utility provider in Kankakee.)

In many instances, hooking up a smart home thermostat with the support of Home Furniture, Plumbing & Heating is a simple process if you have a new house. But what if your residence is older or doesn’t have the correct wiring? Can you still have a smart thermostat without C wire? We’ll help you navigate the process so you can choose the recommended thermostat and receive energy savings for a long time.

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

Many programmable thermostats need batteries. When you’re switching to a smart thermostat, you’ll learn that many require a C wire, or common wire, for power. Without this wire, your new thermostat could 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’s needed for a smart thermostat. You might be wondering 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 tucked inside the wall. If you can’t find one, we may be able to install 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 isn’t right and you don’t want to replace it.

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 might work for your needs.

Nest says its thermostats are created to run on minimal power and can frequently share it with your home comfort system. However, you may need to have a specialist like Home Furniture, Plumbing & Heating install a C wire with the Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat if you’re having power problems or a battery that’s frequently drained.

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

Trust Home Furniture, Plumbing & Heating for Your Smart Thermostat Installation Needs

At Home Furniture, Plumbing & Heating, we’re always looking for methods to keep you more comfortable while keeping energy expenses reasonable. If you want to learn more about upgrading to a smart thermostat without a C wire, give us a call at 815-933-8213. We can help you select the right model for your home and even install new wiring if required.