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Knowledgebase Nest Thermostats

No C-wire? Install a Nest thermostat at your own risk

Nest says you don’t need a C-wire – until you do. Read enough Nest reviews and you’ll eventually spot a common theme: Nests sometimes fail in systems without a C-wire. We were curious about these seemingly “random” Nest failures, so we called a few local HVAC companies and asked them for their off-the-cuff opinion on […]

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Buyer's Guides Holiday Guide

Best WiFi-enabled Smart Thermostats of 2018 – Holiday Buyers Guide

We are back with a brand new edition of our annual buyer’s guide! Whether you’re giving (or hoping to get), this quick guide will help you figure out which WiFi thermostat is right for you. What’s new this year This year was light on new models, but a number of updates and new accessories hit […]

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Knowledgebase

Thermostat C Wire: Everything you need to know about the “common” wire

Back in the olden days, thermostats were simple on/off devices that didn’t need their own continuous power supply.  Modern thermostats with Wi-Fi and backlit display, by contrast, need a steady supply of juice. The C wire, or “common wire” enables the continuous flow of 24 VAC power to the thermostat. Technically speaking, power flows from […]

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Accessories Reviews Wiring adapters

No C-Wire? Venstar Add-a-Wire adapter has you covered

Problem: Your HVAC system lacks a C-wire (common wire) for your new WiFi thermostat Solution: Install a Venstar Add-a-Wire adapter! Venstar Add-a-Wire Adapter: a Simple Solution to a “Common” Problem Short a wire? If you are lacking the (ironically named) “common wire”, also known as the C-wire, you might be pleased to learn that there’s an adapter for that. The Venstar Add-a-Wire […]