Many Floridians who lived up North do not understand the difference between auxiliary heat and emergency heat. Auxiliary heat/ Emergency heat helps the heat pump keep up when cold outside or the temperature differential on the thermostat is large. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Eastern North Carolina (including Wayne, Johnston, Greene, Lenoir, Pitt and Duplin Counties) about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). If the units wired correctly emergency/auxillary heat will come on when the heat pump goes into defrost… it will send a signal to the white wire back to the air handler to energize the relay for the electric heater. Emergency heat only makes sense when there is some sort of secondary heat source and really even then, it only helps if the secondary heat source is sufficient to heat the space as in the case when the secondary is a furnace, Hydronics or a large heat kit. Ice can happen if there is a problem with heat strips, which work to keep the outside defrosted. Down to a certain temperature, there’s sufficient latent heat in cold air to maintain indoor temperature settings. Using a heat pump for cooling and heat down to about 40ºF works well but when the weather gets colder a back up auxiliary system -- preferably gas or oil -- … Heat pumps don’t generate heat with a burner flame like a gas-fired furnace. The important thing to remember is that “AUX” heat is fast and dependable but it’s also more expensive than heat … This extra heat kicks on at a preset temperature. Auxiliary heat is when the secondary heat source turns on automatically. W: Auxiliary heat, stage 1. Both forms of heat are the exact same heat … When we come out to do our 77-point checklist on your system, we’ll actually kick it into defrost mode to make sure it’s working. When that happens, your system switches to emergency heat, otherwise known as auxiliary heat. OK, so these terms are really used interchangeably. Once the thermostat set point is within 2 degrees of the temperature inside the home, the auxiliary heat will turn off. Because consumers have many more auxiliary heat options to work with for augmenting heat pumps, this allows them to experience a winter or two in a milder climate zone without the feature before committing to the extra investment, whichever one it may be. What Is Emergency Heat? This mode is used if the heat pump fails during cold winter temperatures and the compressor must remain off.) Emergency Heat Heat pump systems have two units - one outside the home and one inside the home. Emergency heat activates the secondary heat source to provide 100% of required heat. EM heat is an option on your thermostat that you can manually turn on to activate backup heating. Auxiliary heat is automatically activated when there’s not enough outdoor heat. This secondary heat source is typically electric heating coils integrated into the system. The difference between auxiliary heat and emergency heat is simply the name. Here in Florida, we typically use the heat pump for our primary source of heat when heating the home; however, this unit also has a limit. Contact us at Jackson & Sons at 919-734-9611. How to Maintain Good Airflow in Your Home, From Heating to Cooling: To-Do Before Turning on Your Air Conditioner. A heat pump can satisfy your home’s heating needs as long as the outdoor temperature remains at or above 45 degrees. In fact, many people get auxiliary heat confused with emergency heat when they are actually quite different. Emergency heat is a mode the user manually selects if the unit is not providing any heat for some reason such as a malfunction. Heat) on will turn off the heat pump and run the auxiliary heat only. If there's a wire in the W1 connector, make sure it says AUX heat. The outdoor temperature where this occurs varies according to the efficiency of each particular heat pump, but it’s typically below 40 degrees. However, aux heat mode is really quick and heats the rooms much faster. Emergency heat activates the secondary heat source to provide 100% of required heat. In MY OPINION, the NEST is not the correct thermostat for your system. You won’t find an option to use Emergency Heat, but your thermostat will automatically use alternate heat when needed. Basically, auxiliary heat and emergency heat are the same thing. This heater is an electric heater similar to a toaster oven and will supply supplemental heat to the home while the outdoor unit is defrosting itself. Instead, they extract latent heat energy in outdoor air, concentrate it, then circulate it through the home’s ductwork. Emergency heat is when you turn on a secondary heat source manually. It becomes necessary once the temperature drops below a certain point. Auxiliary Heat vs. E: Emergency heat (In emergency mode "Y" is not energized and E is energized to indicate the need for emergency heat. Different systems and thermostats have different ways of determining when the second-stage heat comes on to assist the heat pump, but it is always done automatically. At temperatures around 45 degrees, the outside coil can and will freeze up, which will cause the system to go into defrost mode. The difference between auxiliary heat and emergency heat is simply the name. First “Auxiliary Heat”, “Strip Heat”, “Emergency Heat”, “ Radiant Heat ” are all used to reference the same heating mechanism; your electric heat strips that come with a heat pump. Emergency heat is the same thing as auxiliary heat. This setting should be used only if there is something wrong with your heat pump, and even then, only as a short-term fix until you can have the system repaired. Therefore, if it’s below 40 outside and the auxiliary heat isn’t working, then your heat pump will just blow lukewarm or cool air. Emergency heat is when the heat strips turn on due to you manually selecting the emergency heat setting. It’s important for homeowners to fully understand what the term auxiliary … As outdoor temperatures rise and secondary heat is no longer required, the unit automatically turns off the auxiliary electric coils. Auxillary Heat implies that you have an Air Source Heat Pump. Note that auxiliary heating is not the same thing emergency heating (displayed as “EM HEAT” or “EMER” on most thermostats). Do All the Ductless Heat Pumps Offer Auxiliary Heat The Emergency Heat or Auxiliary Heat setting is the second stage of your heating system that is used when the temperature is too low for the heat pump to be able to remove heat from outside, typically below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The second function is when the outdoor system goes into defrost mode, as stated above. As outdoor temperatures rise and secondary heat is no longer required, the unit automatically turns off the auxiliary electric coils. Once the outdoor system is defrosted, the auxiliary heater turns off and the system continues in heat pump mode. When the heat pump can no longer maintain the desired temperature setting, then the auxiliary heat must come on to assist. If you haven’t had that check done in a while, give Scott’s One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating a call at 813-882-4776. Emergency heat is the use of the Auxiliary heat as the primary heat source. While auxiliary heating indicates that your heat pump automatically switched from normal to auxiliary heating, emergency heating is a setting that allows you to manually set your system to auxiliary heating. For most heat pumps, the supplemental heat source is electric resistance (strip) heat. Auixiliary Heat will turn on automatically when heat can no longer efficiently transfer heat from the outside air to heat pump. The short answer is that auxiliary heat and emergency heat refer to the same thing, and are somewhat interchangeable. Note: In some cases, your heat pump’s AUX heat could be a gas furnace, but since Phoenix typically has mild winters, some AZ homeowners will have electric resistance as their AUX heat. Because electric heating coils consume lots of electricity, heating costs in the emergency mode will increase dramatically if consistently used for long periods of time. For more about understanding the auxiliary and emergency heat mode for your heat pump, contact the professionals at Jackson & Sons. When winter temperatures plunge, at some point your heat pump may require either auxiliary heat or emergency heat to keep the house warm. By losing the automatic switching to aux heat as needed you spend more money to heat your home when you switch to aux heat by itself using the Emergency heat function. In this mode, the heat pump continues extracting as much heat energy as possible, but also adds heat from a secondary source to make up the difference. As temperatures drop further, however, the heat pump may not extract enough heat. What Are the Best Ways to Eco Upgrade Your Home? By losing the emergency heat function you can NOT switch to just aux heat if the HP ever has a problem. Besides a low temperature, your heat pump also goes onto emergency heat if there is ice frozen on its surface. Emergency Heat is typically triggered when it is 35°F and below outside. So it relies on an auxiliary (AUX) heat coil (like the ones you see in a toaster) or a furnace to heat your home. When the UI calls for heat and the furnace is brought on it reads Aux Heat because that is the heat source it is running. For more information on our heating services, call Scott’s One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating at 813-882-4776 or contact us online. In this mode, the heat pump still contributes as much heat as possible, minimizing demand from electric heating coils. Note: If Alt heat (not AUX heat) appears, your Nest Thermostat E is configured to work with a dual fuel system. Does Auxiliary Heat Cost More to Run? Your display is working correctly and exactly as it is suppose to. The heater is typically not designed to heat your home to 80 degrees, but only as a supplement heat source while the heat pump is in defrost mode or as an emergency backup in the event of a system failure. Both forms of heat are the exact same heat elements but are labeled differently. Emergency heat is a mode the user manually selects if the unit is not providing any heat for some reason such as a malfunction. Essentially your Auxiliary heat is called in as reinforcements for your heater when it is being overwhelmed until things return to a manageable state. As the name indicates, auxiliary heat, or emergency heat depending on your system, is just a secondary heat source. But this option (aux heating) is not energy efficient and adds to energy expenses. All Content Copyright © 2021 Scott's One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating | Privacy Policy | Sitemap, Scott’s One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating, HVAC Systems in Tampa Bay & Surrounding Areas, Heating System Installation & Replacement, Air Duct Cleaning Services in Tampa Bay & Surrounding Areas, Increased Energy Efficiencies in New Heat Pumps, Scott’s One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating Blog. While in defrost mode, the outdoor unit will signal the air handler to turn on the auxiliary heater. EM heat is NOT the same thing as AUX heat: AUX heat signifies that your heat pump has automatically switched over to backup heating because temperatures are too low. Emergency heat is a term we use for when the homeowner must force the system into the electric heating mode if their heat pump system has failed or is not working correctly. In emergency mode, conversely, the heat pump function is totally disabled and the system relies entirely on secondary heating coils. 4) Auxiliary heat is malfunctioning Below 40 degrees, your heat pump struggles to heat your home. something called "emergency heat" or "auxiliary heat". This setting is genuinely for emergency use only. I control that temperature through my WIFI Thermostat. This heater is the exact same heater as the auxiliary element, only used in a different format. To summarize, while these terms can be used interchangeably and refer to the same type of heat, auxiliary heat is when your heat pump’s heat strips turn on automatically. Homes with heat pumps are equipped with a two-part system: The heat pump, which is the outdoor element, and the auxiliary heating source, which is the indoor element. ** Auxiliary Heat. The heat strips run the same either way. This system is activated manually by a button/switch on your Thermostat. Auxiliary heat/emergency heat will come on when the heat pump is … R: +24vac. The two different names refer to the same thing: an electric heating system using resistive heating coils (like in a toaster or hair dryer) located inside the airflow path of the ventilation system. The same goes for warmer climates. If this happens, the heat pump and heat strips will run together to create warmer air to more efficiently heat the home. C: Common. If you are looking for peace-of-mind, be sure your installation technician provides a limited warranty for their work and is qualified, experienced and recommended by a trusted source. Emergency Heat is when you use your supplemental heat (2nd stage) by itself, without the use of your heat pump (1st stage heat). No-frills heat pump systems without the auxiliary heat capability sometimes make that feature an add-later option. Auxiliary, the heat strips activate to supplement the heat pump's output when it can't keep up with the load. Auxiliary Heat Your auxiliary heat, as just described, supplements your heat pump’s heat when it needs it. Auxiliary Heat – This is the secondary heat source that turns on automatically. Electric heat strip - This electric heat strip is auxiliary heating (or “aux heat” as it shows up on your thermostat). Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Design & Marketing by LeadsNearby, Why Your HVAC Purchase Can Be Affected by Your Neighborhood. When the heat pump outside is not working, and you run the risk of damaging it more by continuing to use the unit, switching the Emergency Heat (Em. 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