It can become pretty stressful when the temperature outside drops and you begin wondering when should i turn on emergency heat to keep the home warm. You're looking at that thermostat, since "EM Heat" setting, and thinking it could be the secret to instant comfort. But before you flip that switch, it's worth taking a moment to understand what it actually does. For many individuals, that setting is a bit of a secret, and using it from the wrong period can lead in order to a nasty surprise when the electric expenses shows up.
The thing about emergency heat is it isn't just a "turbo" button for your own furnace. If you've got a heat pump system, your heater usually functions by pulling heat from the outside air and getting it indoors. Also when it's wintry out, there's usually enough heat in the air for the system to perform its job. Emergency heat, on the particular other hand, bypasses that process entirely. It kicks on the backup heating elements—usually electric resistance coils that look a lot like those inside the giant toaster.
The primary periods you actually need it
Generally speaking, you should only turn on emergency heat when your own primary heat pump has actually failed or if it's physically damaged. In the event that you wake up and it's fifty degrees in your living room however the thermostat is fixed to 70, and you spot the outside unit is producing a horrific milling noise or isn't running at most, that is a classic "emergency" scenario.
Another situation where you may need this is if the outdoor unit will be completely encased within a thick wedge of ice. Whilst heat pumps have a built-in defrost routine to handle some sort of little frost, these people can't always offer with a literal ice storm that buries the entire machine. If the particular fan can't spin and rewrite because of glaciers buildup, the system can't pull heat through the air. In that case, changing to emergency heat keeps your pipes from freezing as you wait for the particular ice to dissolve or for a technician to arrive.
It's also worth using if you see the particular outdoor unit is definitely blowing cold surroundings inside for a prolonged period. Usually, the particular "Auxiliary Heat" (which is the same equipment as emergency heat) kicks on automatically for the few minutes in order to help out. Although if the main pump is totally dead, it won't be able in order to catch up, and that's when you manually take more than.
Why you shouldn't utilize it just for an increase
A lot of people think that if they're coming home to a cold home and want this to warm upward fast, they should just flip on the emergency heat. It feels logical, right? More strength equals faster friendliness. While it will generate very hot air quickly, it's incredibly inefficient.
Think of your own heat pump such as a fuel-efficient hybrid car and your emergency heat such as a massive, old-school V8 engine that will guzzles gas. They will both get you to the particular same destination, but one costs five times as very much to operate. Using emergency heat as your own primary heat source is one involving the fastest ways to double or even triple your regular monthly utility bill. It's designed to end up being a temporary bridge to get a person by way of a crisis, not a regular setting for a frosty Tuesday night.
Most modern thermostats are smart more than enough to take care of the large lifting for a person. If it will get so cold outside that the heat pump literally can't find enough heat to create inside, the system will engage the "Aux" (auxiliary) heat on the own. You'll view a light or the notification on the particular screen. The difference is that when the system is definitely in Aux mode, it's still using the heat push plus the particular backup. When a person manually switch in order to "Emergency Heat, " you're telling the system to turn the heat pump motor off entirely and rely 100% on those expensive electric powered coils.
The "burning smell" plus what it indicates
If you haven't used your emergency heat in a year and you suddenly switch it on, don't be surprised if you smell some thing burning. It may be pretty alarming—kind of a dusty, metallic singe up. Most of the particular time, this isn't a fire. It's only the dust that has settled on the electric heating system elements within the summer and fall finally getting burned off.
Usually, that will smell goes away right after about 20 to 30 minutes associated with operation. If it persists, or in the event that you see real smoke, then you've got a true issue and should close it down immediately. But for many folks, that preliminary "stink" is simply the device clearing its throat after a long period associated with sitting idle.
Defrost mode vs. Emergency heat
One thing that will trips a great deal of homeowners upward is the defrost cycle. When it's cold and wet outside, frost develops up on the outdoor coils. To fix this, the particular heat pump briefly reverses itself—it basically turns into an ac for a few minutes to heat up the particular outdoor coils plus melt the snow.
Throughout this time, you might see steam rising from the outside unit (which looks like smoke but isn't), and also you might hear a noisy whoosh or even a shift in the fan noise. Inside, the "Aux" light might come on to prevent the vents from forced cold air whilst the unit is definitely defrosting. This is totally normal behavior! A person don't need to change to emergency heat here. Just allow the machine do its thing for 10 minutes, and it'll go back to normal.
When to call the particular professionals
When you are asking when should i turn on emergency heat because your house just isn't getting warm, it might be time in order to call an HEATING AND COOLING tech. If the particular emergency heat is definitely the only way you can remain comfortable even when it's 40 degrees outside, something will be wrong with your heat pump.
Maybe the refrigerant is low, or perhaps a capacitor has blown. Whatever the case, depending on that emergency setting is a band-aid on a broken bone. It'll a person warm intended for the night, yet you're essentially paying a massive high quality in electricity costs every hour you leave it on. A quick service call is nearly always less expensive than the electric bill you'll get from running electric whitening strips to get a week directly.
Summary of the "Golden Rules"
To continue to keep it basic, here's a quick mental checklist for when that "EM Heat" switch is contacting your name:
- Could be the outdoor unit creating a terrifying noise? Yes? Turn on EM heat and call a professional.
- Will be the outdoor unit completely smothered in a stop of ice? Yes? Turn on EM heat and let this thaw.
- Could it be just really cold outside? No. Allow the thermostat manage the "Aux" heat automatically.
- Do you want the home to warm up 5 minutes faster? No. Your wallet can thank you regarding being patient.
At the finish of the day, emergency heat will be exactly what you think it is: the safety net. It's there so you aren't shivering within the dark in case your mechanical equipment fails in the middle of a blizzard. It's great to have, but it's not really something you want to use unless you absolutely have to. Keep an attention on your body, make sure you alter your filters regularly, and try in order to trust your heat pump to do its job—it's tougher than it looks.