Google Home can now catch A/C problems before they ruin your summer

Summers are more unbearably hot than ever, as headlines this week attest to, increasingly making central A/C more of a necessity than a luxury. But even those lucky enough to have a system can fall victim to sweltering days when a part fails.

The latest Google Home update, version 4.20, can now save those who have their Google Nest Thermostat hooked up to central A/C from suffering needlessly in such a situation with two new features that detect issues early on and offer a faster way to get help for them.

A warning when a compressor fails

Compressor heads-up warns users when their Google Nest Thermostat has detected a problem with an air-conditioning system.

The feature detects when the temperature starts climbing and sends an alert that says “A/C not cooling. There’s an issue with your compressor“ on the Nest Thermostat itself, in the Google Home app, and through notifications.

In the notes for this feature, Google says that the some of the issues that trigger the alert include automatic lockout to prevent overheating or mechanical failure, a failed component such as the compressor motor and startup capacitor, and an incorrect wire configuration.

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An easier way to summon help

Whatever the cause of the issue, Google Home version 4.20 includes a way to get assistance faster.

Within alerts is a one-tap way to get in touch with your certified installer by phone or email. This feature only works if you’ve had a certified professional install the Nest Thermostat and they’ve entered their contact information in your system.

To check, press the ring on the Nest Thermostat and then turn to Settings and press the ring again. Turn to Nest Pro and press to check for contact information.

If you would like to add a Nest Pro’s contact information, you can ask one to enter their Nest Pro ID.

Year-round temperature monitoring

Compression heads-up and the Nest Pro features also work in the winter.

When the Nest Thermostat is set to warm, alerts will be sent out if a heat pump fails. In that case, the message sent will read, ““Heat pump not heating. There’s an issue with your compressor.“

Features rolling out now but not on all devices

Google Home version 4.20 is rolling out starting today.

However, it’s not available in the two earliest Nest Thermostat models.