Google Nest Sensors- 10 Questions You Need Answers To

The Google Nest line of smart home products contain a few devices that exist only to help maintain the temperature in your home. While they are typically very straightforward to set up and use easily, issues and questions do arise from time to time.

The next few topics encompass many of the most common problems and questions that homeowners run into. Keep reading for 10 questions you need answers to regarding Google Nest Sensors.

How Much Is a Nest Sensor?

The MSRP on one Nest Sensor is $39.

A pack of three sensors provides somewhat of a discount at $99.

Do Nest Sensors Have Batteries?

Nest Sensors do have batteries.

Each Nest Sensor comes preinstalled with a CR2 3V lithium battery. On average, users can expect them to last approximately 2 years.

Are Nest Sensors Worth It?

Nest Sensors are absolutely worth it. Anytime you are able to get a better average of temperature settings throughout the home, the more comfortable you will ultimately be. But that is the limit of their functionality.

However, Nest Sensors do lack the ability to schedule temperature settings at specific times, limiting their capability.

Another feature the devices lack is motion sensors. Having the ability to detect motion would give much more automation to the thermostat and take away guesswork for the homeowner. This omission in features does limit their usefulness but is not a deal-breaker for most people since the Nest app is so easy to use.

Do I Need 2 Nest Thermostats for 2 Zones?

Overall, homeowners do not absolutely need two Nest thermostats since up to 6 Nest Sensors can be added to help control the temperature more accurately. The sensors are a much more cost-effective way to properly keep your home at a consistent temperature compared to having two separate thermostats.

Google does allow multiple thermostats the ability to work together to maintain the temperature in the most efficient way possible, but two is not necessary since the introduction of the Nest Sensors.

How Many Nest Sensors Do I Need?

There is no definitive number of sensors a homeowner should purchase. Generally, the bigger the house is, the more sensors one would need to help regulate temperature.

This is especially true for multilevel homes where the temperature can vary greatly from room to room. While more is generally better, each thermostat only has the ability to connect to 6 sensors at a time.

Why Won’t My Nest Sensor Connect?

Generally speaking, the sensor should connect quickly and easily, provided it is less than 50 feet away from the thermostat.

With that said, 50 feet is truly the maximum distance the sensor should be placed away from the thermostat due to interference that may arise from other wireless signals or simply walls getting in the way. Another note- make sure your phone’s Bluetooth is on during setup.

Where to Put a Nest Sensor?

Each sensor should be placed in areas of the home that are used the most. The thermostat can then get the most accurate information for maximum comfort.

Generally speaking, sensors are only necessary for these specific areas since the thermostat itself covers a decent amount of area around it.

Does Nest Sensor Connect to Wi-Fi?

Nest Sensors use a wireless network known as Thread. These devices do not connect to Wi-Fi. It will not happen for people who think it will show up on the Wi-Fi network and simply give you the option to directly connect to the Wi-Fi.

Google designed Nest products to connect to each other using many various wireless protocols, including Wi-Fi, but the Nest Sensor is not one of them. The key here is that they use Thread protocols to connect to each other and not the Wi-Fi network itself.

How Do You Reset the Nest Sensor?

Since there are no physical buttons on the Nest Sensor itself, the user has to simply remove the battery. The key here is to make sure the battery is removed for a minimum of 5-15 minutes to give the device time to reset itself properly.

With this option, you may need to reconnect the sensors to your Nest account afterwards.

How Accurate is the Nest Temperature Sensor?

Since Google makes the Nest Sensor, it uses many of the company’s software and algorithms to continuously update itself and use any data available to it.

These software tricks enable improvements to the accuracy over time, making it even better in the long run. Even without this software, however, the sensors are quite accurate in measuring the temperature in a home.

Final Thoughts

Upgrading some components of your home HVAC system can raise a lot of questions for people with little experience.

Overall, the Nest system provides a great way to help curb energy costs, and you’re your home comfortable all year round. These tips and answers will help guide even the novice to fix many of the small issues they may run into but for all other questions, referring to Google’s help site is the best.