The emergency heat button on a thermostat confuses almost everyone who sees it for the first time in the settings. Most do not know when they should use it and forget to ask their heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX after they leave after installing their HVAC system. Plus, a surprising number of homeowners think that the heat pumps don’t work well enough in cold weather which is pretty ironic.

What is Emergency Heat?

Before understanding how you can use Emergency Heat, you need to understand how this function works in your HVAC system. This is what a service for heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX will tell you –heat pumps that are installed in homes that are located in colder regions need an extra source of heat.

This can be in the form of an electrically powered heat pump but the unit can also work via a gas, oil and even a hot water system. The extra heat is also known as supplemental or backup heat since the first phase includes the heat pump itself. The second stage is triggered when you switch to emergency heat which does not use the pump.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that every thermostat has the same settings. Your heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX will tell you that different systems have different settings. In some you don’t need to switch to emergency heat since the system will do that automatically while some may need manual assistance. Plus, during the cold months, both the heat pump and the emergency heat will work together.

The heat pump is basically an air conditioner that is running backwards. Rather than pulling heat from your home and cooling it down it pulls in heat from outside and brings it inside to warm you up. The electric heat strip it contains turns on automatically when the pump is unable to pull in more heat from the outside.

No, you don’t need to call a heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX to fix it. This only happens when the temperature outside is too cold for the system to work. Some people prefer to use a gas powered furnace rather than the heating strip for this heat when the temperature falls drastically.

This is also known as auxiliary heat and it costs more since it typically runs on electricity. That is why your heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX will tell you to stick to a heat strip or a gas powered furnace if you want to save money on your electricity bill. This is a practical measure for homeowners who live in regions that have mild climates.

What Happens When Your System Is On Emergency Heat

Most heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TXwill tell you this but when you turn your thermostat to emergency heat you are actually signaling your HVAC system to stop pulling in warm air from the outside and switch to backup heat. The heat pump switches to that supply which ends up costing way more even if it is connected to a gas furnace.

In other words, even if it is incredibly cold outside, switching to emergency heat as soon as you get up in the morning and keeping it there is a bad idea. Depending on the heating system the heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX installed for you, it will automatically turn to auxiliary heat to get the warmth it needs to warm your home sufficiently.

As the name implies and as the heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX may have told you, you should only use the emergency heat option in an EMERGENCY. A good example is when the first stage of the heating system or the heat pump stops working for some reason.

In other words, if you feel as if your home is getting colder than normal, consider it the best time to switch to the emergency heat. When you do this, you should see a red light switch on and it will stay on till the supply is cut off or switched off. This should provide enough heat for your home till the heat pump is fixed.

Whatever you do, don’t delay calling for heating and ac repair in Mesquite, TX if this happens. While the heat will keep you comfortable, using it for too long can place undue pressure on your HVAC system and increase your energy bill as well. Using up this heat is more expensive which is why it is meant only for short term use.

However, if live in an area that does not experience extreme weather, chances are your HVAC system does not have this setting at all. No need to panic though. That just means your home will not get cold enough to need extra heat.

If you do live in an area that experiences extremely cold weather, first check to make sure that the furnace is working properly before turning on the emergency heat. Even in these temperatures this setting can put undue pressure on your HVAC system. Plus, also check your system to make sure it isn’t damaged in any way before turning on that setting.

A DIY approach can do more harm than good though. Call for K&S Heating and Air technicians to check the thermostat and the emergency heat setting. They are available 24/7 for emergencies as well so you can breathe easy knowing that you won’t have to suffer through the cold when the system breaks down. Their trained technicians have 100+ years of collective experience in the industry and can help you with any issue that crops up.