Nest failed, no emergency temp held, burst pipes and flooded basement!

[zwebber]

Nest learning thermostat, bought brand new a year ago. Installed with the Nest Power Adaptor, in a cottage mostly closed for the winter.

We entered the cottage after an extended period away during a New Brunswick, Canada winter, to a very cold interior and to hear dripping water and to realize the basement had been flooded, the drywall was all damp and ruined and the ceiling was dripping with moisture!

The nest learning thermostat was completely dead. It clearly had not reverted to the emergency temperature. So pipes had froze and burst. Checked power at the furnace/to the nest and it was fine.

Reinstalled the OLD mercury based thermostat and the furnace kicked in immediately!

How could this have happened? How should I go about figuring out what happened and what's to blame?

Does Google/Nest take any responsibility for such damage/situations? I'm nervous now to leave our regular house with the nest in charge there as well!

[Markjosephp]

Hello zwebber,

I'm sorry to hear about the unfortunate situation you experienced with your Nest learning thermostat. It's alarming to discover such issues, especially when they lead to damage to your property. There are a few possibilities to consider.

Firstly, it's important to ensure that the Nest Thermostat is properly installed and configured. Check if the settings were adjusted correctly, including the emergency temperature setting, which is designed to prevent freezing. You can verify it in the Nest app if the thermostat is not turning on. Additionally, extreme weather conditions, especially in a winter environment, can sometimes pose challenges for electronic devices. Cold temperatures might impact the performance of the Nest Thermostat or its ability to communicate with the heating system. This might cause power-related issues that lead to the thermostat being unable to control the system.

In the meantime, using the old mercury-based thermostat seems like a practical solution to keep your heating system functional. However, it's essential to address the root cause to prevent similar issues in the future. Have you had a chance to contact an HVAC technician or our support team? 

Best regards,
Mark