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Knowledge is power: Emergency heat

If your home has a heat pump, you may have noticed a thermostat setting labeled “emergency heat.”

“The emergency heat setting is for just what it says – a backup heating source when a heat pump malfunctions,” says Pete Ervin, member services specialist. “Using this setting when it’s not needed can cause a large spike in your electric bill.”

Working normally, heat pumps use refrigerant to transfer heat. Emergency heat typically relies on electric resistance heating elements found in the system’s air handler. In a few cases, it may be fueled by a gas furnace.

Electric resistance heating is less efficient and more expensive than using your heat pump’s primary refrigerant-based heating method.

“Never switch your heat pump to emergency or auxiliary heat if it’s working properly,” says Ervin. “Doing so disables the heat pump’s refrigerant system and uses only the electric resistance elements.”

WHEN TO MANUALLY SWITCH TO EMERGENCY HEAT – If your heat pump isn’t keeping the house warm, check the outside unit. If it’s not running, switch to emergency heat and call an HVAC contractor immediately.

WHEN EMERGENCY HEAT SHOULD OPERATE – Emergency heat, also known as auxiliary heat, may operate in certain instances:

  1. In extremely cold conditions, the heat pump may need auxiliary heat to meet heating demands. If the heat pump is properly sized, this should be rare.
  2. During defrost mode, auxiliary heat operates to maintain indoor warmth while frost is cleared from the outdoor unit.

In these cases, your unit will automatically activate auxiliary heat.

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