Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsBeautiful / Simple / Easy to Use... But
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2018
Updated 1/11/2022
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So we've had 3 of these in the house for the last couple of years. I purchased it in 2018 but hadn't installed it for months. When I finally installed the first one, it was so painless, we ran it for a few days, and it was so much easier to control than the integrated Crestron crap we had.
After a while I purchased 2 more for the other HVAC zones in the house (big house) and to my delight, my HVAC systems stopped fighting each other. Having the remote sensors really helps too, since I can use a phone or tablet, tell the thermostat which zone I'm in, and it'll switch to that remote sensor, so I can stay warm or cold depending on where I'm spending my time in the house. The kitchen, for example, can get HOT AF when cooking, right? Bring a sensor with you into the kitchen, tell the thermostat to use that one instead of itself, and the AC/Heat will compensate. Phenomenal.
More than that.
I have paid an average of $1600 every 6 months (that's over $3200 a year) to keep gas in my tank, and we would run out, or just about run out each time, heaters running non-stop for no reason with the old thermostats right?
I just checked. I still have 40% of my tank left.... that's going to last me until March, April, maybe even June. That's near a whole year! That means in 2 years, these thermostats have saved me AT LEAST $1600 in gas... for the price of 3 of these units, they've more than paid for themselves already. I expect them to keep working for years.
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There are a few setup / calibration procedures, and some notes you might want to take an interest in BEFORE you buy.
First off, this thing requires the C wire to provide power to the unit. Keep that in mind. Luckily I'm "downgrading" from a Crestron-based "smarthome" system, which luckily supplied a lot of redundant network and power options, so I have the 24v(C) wire [YAY!]. You can get someone to install them, for around $150 based on other reviews and personal experience at a previous residence.
The next thing you need to know is, it's going to be bugged until you reboot it (based on numerous complaints/reviews/support requests). Mine was... and the simplest solution was to reboot it (in the settings on the device), then run it through its paces with the heat/cold/fan test, and then to let it run for a while. Removing it from the wall and replacing it didn't seem to do anything. There are also some firmware updates which might help.
The next thing you need to be aware of is the placement of your sensor/thermostat wire. We determined ours was in our master bathroom. My house has 3 independent HVAC systems, powering 3 zones. Zone 1 is the Master Bath/Master Bedroom/ Study which is where our NEST Thermostat is located. If someone is in the shower, and the door is closed, the shower will remain warm from the hot water, while our bedroom will cool very quickly due to the number of windows and the deck-facing door... The thermostat said 73/74 whilst the bedroom was around 67 at one point. Once the bathroom was cooled off, the doors were opened, the temperature stabilized to an accurate reading and began heating/cooling appropriately.
If you're not sure if your system is compatible, you can contact a NEST rep on their website for free, and they will help you examine your wiring for your current system(s) and see if your system is compatible, and will even prepare a wiring diagram to speed up the process.
Additionally: there are extra screws and far more wire connection options than you will need. You will only need 5 wires to operate the system effectively for heating and cooling. 4 if you're only doing one or the other.
Very simple instructions, don't overthink it.
1. Remove old thermostat / cover
2. Use included wire labels on wires (BEFORE DISCONNECTING THEM FROM OLD PANEL)
3. Remove wires from old panel.
4. Remove old patch panel.
5. Install metal adapter panel (I used the 2 screws from the old thermostat back panel/patch panel.
6. Install Shroud (you will only have 2 screw holes, so you will only need 2 of the 4 included mounting screws)
7. Pull wires through, before placing NEST patch panel on the shroud, and attach all of the wires with corresponding labels. (refer to the diagram your NEST tech provided you from their website... free)
8. Once you've inserted and locked all of the wires, you are ready to install the patch plate/backplate. Remove the two screws (top and bottom) holding up the shroud and install the patchplate over the backplate, without fully tightening the screws.
9. Use the integrated level to align your backplate/thermostat, then tighten the top and bottom screws.
10. Finally, install the thermostat, configure your settings, set up WiFi connection, and then run updates.
It may take some time for it to accurately read room temperature, based on thermostat location, airflow to the thermostat, and a restart of the thermostat may be required. The restart option is in the settings menu.
The app works extremely well for me, but also remember you can integrate NEST devices with IFTTT to further automate and enhance your experience. You can even use IFTTT with NEST thermostats to get alerts when they detect motion, so it doubles as a security device for my home.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
EDIT: 12/26/2018
I purchased 2 more of these from Home Depot (don't be mad Amazon) because, well, I wanted it done NOW. Mostly so I could properly utilize the eco/away mode. With only 1 zone in a 3 HVAC zone house on eco mode, the other 2 zones would have the burdon of normalizing the temps in the home. Instead I went all in, got 2 more thermostats for the other zones, which came with 4 temperature sensors, which paired easily and work very well it seems.
As with the thermostats, it takes a little while (20-45 minutes give or take) to start reading the right temps. The temp sensors are a great way to manage a thermostat which is in a dead air zone. If you feel too cold for the reading on the thermostat, put the temperature sensor in an area that feels cooler than the rest of the room, then tell the thermostat via the app or the wall device to use that sensor instead of its own temp reading... and badda bing badda boom you've got a wonderfully balanced and convenient, and elegantly climate controlled home.
It only took about 5-10 minutes for each thermostat to remove/replace the old units and install the NEST Thermostats. It's too freaking easy.
Update Feb 5, 2019
Installed Nest thermostats throughout the house.
Dropped energy usage from 2148 kWh for Aug - September 2018 to 1834 kWh in December. All the while using the 3 HVAC systems to heat the home.
After ending up with a second Crestron thermostat dying, I had already sank over 200 bucks in replacement thermostats. So, I decided to upgrade to a smart "learning" thermostat.
There is a marked difference in how well (and evenly) the house is heated/cooled now. The HVAC systems are not active, nearly as often. Before, the thermostats (placed literally a few feet away from the HVAC intakes) would be cooled or heated by passing air, being pulled into the intakes. (Talk to the Contractor about that one) NEST allows you to use remote wireless sensors. So I placed one in the kitchen, one in the office, and one in the tiny "study" between the master bathroom and bedroom. Since then the thermostats have done a far better job at maintaining temps, using less gas, less electricity, making less noise, and doing a better job at maintaining comfortable temps.
Not to mention being able to use eco mode when I'm not home, saving more energy.
Not to mention being able to set the temperature while I'm outside, or in bed, from my phone/tablet/Alexa etc.
It's a straightforward install too. Nest support provided a wiring diagram for free. Used the screws from the old thermostat.
There are no buttons on the units. The unit IS a button. The unit is literally a dial you turn to change options and you press it to select.
Program a schedule, or just change it. When NEST detects a pattern it "learns" and will start adjusting the thermostat before you can make it there.
Oh and you can automate with If This Then That (IFTTT.com). For instance If ( Motion Detected) Then (Turn On Lights)
Yeah NEST thermostats have motion detection so the screen stays off unless you're close to it. Kind-of handy actually. A neat night light when I'm fumbling my way to the bathroom.
Occasionally the Living Room thermostat freaks out and goes to 55 degrees. Not sure why yet.... perhaps a firmware update is required. Not losing a star. The pros far outweight the cons here.
