On the coldest days of the year, auxiliary heat and emergency heat can both help to keep your home warm. While they serve similar purposes, there is a difference between auxiliary and emergency heat that differentiates the two.
In Schebler Heating and Air’s latest blog post, we’ll discuss what auxiliary heat and emergency heat are to help you understand why you might see them come across your thermostat.
What is Auxiliary Heat?
Heat pumps can typically provide heating when outdoor temperatures are 35°F or above. When temperatures reach below 35°F, the outside coil can freeze and cause the unit to enter defrost mode. The system will need to fully defrost before it can again be used for heating. That’s where your secondary heat source comes in.
When temperatures drop too low, your secondary heat source will automatically turn on, causing your thermostat to read “Aux. Heat”. While some homeowners tend to panic when they see that their auxiliary heating is on, it’s actually a sign that your heating system is acting as it should. When your thermostat shows that auxiliary heating is on, this simply means that your secondary heating system needed to kick on in order to help your heat pump system keep your house warm.
What is Emergency Heat?
Emergency heat, like auxiliary heat, provides additional heating when the outdoor temperature drops too low for your heat pump to handle. However, the emergency heat setting must be entered manually. This most commonly happens in instances where the homeowner notices that the heat pump has failed and the secondary heat source will be needed immediately in order to provide warmth.
This mode is meant to provide a temporary solution until you’re able to get your heat pump’s issues resolved. Try to schedule heat pump repair services as quickly as possible to ensure that your secondary heating source doesn’t experience an extended period of use and stress.
Help Prevent Future Heat Pump Issues
While heat pump issues aren’t necessarily uncommon, as they’re relied upon for both heating and cooling, providing the system with semi-annual tune-ups can help prevent future issues from occurring. During a tune-up, any minor issues will be resolved and internal parts will be maintained to ensure efficiency and overall effectiveness are preserved.
If your heat pump system hasn’t received maintenance in over a year, schedule an appointment as soon as possible to uncover and resolve any lingering issues that could potentially grow and become more serious.
The Differences Between Auxiliary Heat and Emergency Heat
The main difference between auxiliary heat and emergency heat is that auxiliary heat turns on automatically, while emergency heat is turned on manually. Auxiliary heat will only turn on when it’s extremely cold outside, while emergency heat can be turned on manually when your primary heating source fails.
Contact Schebler Heating and Air for Heating Services in the Quad Cities
Schebler Heating and Air is passionate about helping homeowners throughout the Quad Cities area stay safe during even the coldest winter days. For heating services in Davenport, Bettendorf, and the surrounding Quad Cities area, turn to the experienced team at Schebler. We provide the area with high-quality heating repair, installation, and maintenance services that can help your family stay safe and comfortable this winter.