Should I Change My Thermostat to “Emergency Heat” If It’s Super Cold Outside?

Should I Change My Thermostat to “Emergency Heat” If It’s Super Cold Outside?

When winter comes down hard, you may feel like your furnace will not be as efficient in heating. However, don’t go about switching on the emergency heating of your furnace and keeping it on for long. It will cause your electricity bill to skyrocket even if you have the most energy-efficient HVAC in the market. Emergency Heat is an option provided only to be used in case of a failure or breakdown. If your heater is working fine but isn’t heating as much, contact a thermostat repair in Plantation, FL, to have your furnace running like before.

Basic Heating Modes in a Thermostat

To have a better understanding of how your heat pump heats your house, how much heating it provides, and at what temperatures, you need to have a basic understanding of the ways your heat pump heats your house

Heat Mode 

In this mode, your heat pump works like an air conditioner in reverse. It pumps hot air instead of cold air in your rooms. The pump heats the air as it passes through the ducts and keeps your house warm. This mode should be used when moderate heating is required. Contact an HVAC contractor for a ductwork service in Davie, FL to ensure efficient heat flow throughout your heat pump.

Electric Heat Strip

Electric heat strips boost heating in your rooms when your heat pump alone cannot heat the air to the desired temperature. It switches on automatically so, don’t worry about changing your thermostat settings. When the temperature outdoors drops below 40 degrees F, the auxiliary strip switches on to provide more heat.

Backup Gas Furnace 

Gas furnaces are the ultimate solutions for heating needs no matter how severe the cold is. The auxiliary or electric heat strip burns more energy to boost heating in your rooms. In contrast, gas burners are more efficient options to choose when the temperature falls way too low.

Emergency Heat Mechanics 

When you turn in the Emergency Heat switch on your thermostat, you tell your heat pump to stop pulling air from the outside as it is no longer sufficient and use the backup heat instead. However, this turns your heat pump into an electric furnace or makes it use the gas furnace. As a result, your heat pump now consumes much more energy than it does during its regular operation.

Here’s a quick summary: The backup furnace is more efficient than the auxiliary strip or the heat strip, and the heat pump, in turn, is more efficient than the backup furnace.

When do I Use Emergency Heat?

As the name suggests, Emergency Heat should only be used in an emergency. For example, say your pump is facing problems or won’t start in the middle of the night; you may use the Emergency Heat setting to keep yourself warm and, as quickly as possible, contact an HVAC contractor in Davie, FL.

Daily AC is an HVAC service provider serving South Florida and nearby areas. We take pride in delivering 100% customer satisfaction through our service. Our specialists have extensive experience and are available 24*7. Call us today for an unmatched service experience https://www.dailyac.com/.

 

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