When Does a Heat Pump Switch to Emergency Heat?

Most modern heat pump systems come with an emergency heat feature. Many homeowners aren’t sure how the setting works. When does a heat pump switch to emergency heat?

As the preferred provider of heat pump repair in Hickory, NC, our team at Hickory Heating and Cooling can provide knowledgeable answers. We only recommend that you use the emergency heat mode when your heat pump stops working completely. Continue reading to find out more about this feature. 

How Your Heat Pump Works

Depending on the system type, a heat pump extracts heat from outdoors or underground. Then, it moves the air through a compressor to further increase the temperature. Once the air reaches your desired temperature, the system pumps the air through the air ducts and into each room of your home.

It uses a similar method to cool your home during the summer. Instead of pulling heat from outside, it extracts heat from indoors before transferring it outside. This heating and cooling method makes heat pumps an excellent way to save money and energy.

Heat pumps are ideal for regions with mild winters. Your North Carolina home will benefit from this cost-effective system. However, you can still run into issues that cause the heat pump to stop working.

In such cases, you’ll need a backup heat source until HVAC technicians resolve the problem. 

How Emergency Heat Works

Your thermostat should have an emergency heat setting connected to an electric heating system. When your primary heating system fails, you can still keep your home comfortable. The screen message that reads ‘Em Heat’ should indicate the emergency heat setting.

You can either set this feature to run and power off automatically or turn it on yourself. We recommend automatic settings to prevent your backup heat from running continuously. 

When Does a Heat Pump Switch to Emergency Heat?

So, when does a heat pump switch to emergency heat? Check your thermostat settings. You might notice that your thermostat’s screen reads ‘Aux Heat.’

This setting indicates your heat pump’s preparation to shut down. Before it shuts down, it will maintain a temperature a couple of degrees below your preferred temperature setting. During this time, it powers up your backup heating.

When the ‘Em Heat’ message appears, your pump has completely shut down. Your home relies exclusively on the backup heating system, which uses up lots of energy. Therefore, you can expect an increase in your next power bill.

Some varieties of heat pumps don’t work well when temperatures dip below freezing. Extremely cold temperatures cause your system to work overtime to keep your home comfortable. When it functions less efficiently, it overworks its components and increases your energy usage.

Other times, your heat pump might sustain damage that forces it to stop working. A faulty or broken component might stop functioning completely, causing the pump to stop cycling. Your pump may also sustain damage from external factors like falling debris. 

If you notice the indoor temperature dips below your preferred thermostat settings, you should manually switch to emergency heating. Locate your thermostat instructions to find your specific model’s information on how to do this. Once you get your backup working, look for information about how to automate your backup heat. 

Problems Associated with Emergency Heat

Once your emergency heat kicks on, you should schedule our repair services immediately. While backup heating systems work more efficiently than overworked or damaged heat pumps, they are expensive to run. Most emergency systems use heating strips powered by electricity.

These heating strips work constantly to maintain your ideal temperature. Since it dramatically increases your power bills, you should schedule professional services to perform a checkup immediately. Our technicians will inspect the heat pump and fix minor problems onsite.

If you have an issue that requires more extensive repairs, we’ll help you find an option that works best for your heating needs and budget. Most importantly, our prompt services will prevent exorbitant energy bills. 

Schedule Our Convenient Heat Pump Solutions When You Notice a Problem

When does a heat pump switch to emergency heat? Your heat pump switches because it cannot maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without sacrificing efficiency. It might also switch because it sustained damage.

Either way, our exceptional team at Hickory Heating and Cooling can help you find long and short-term solutions. Read more on our blog before DIY solutions like pouring hot water on a frozen heat pump. Our comprehensive maintenance and prompt repair services will also help you avoid heating emergencies.



To schedule a top-rated heat pump service for your home in Hickory, NC, contact us at Hickory Heating and Cooling at (828) 679-1067 today.