If you’ve got a heat pump in your home, you may have noticed an “emergency heat” setting on your thermostat. Hopefully, you’re not using this button regularly…because it could be costing you a pretty penny! Experts say this is the setting that gets misused most. Why is that? Well, first of all, most people don’t know what it really does. Thankfully, the skilled team at Gold Star does, and we’re here to help you understand, too.

Gold Star is the #1 HVAC business in Delaware. We are a group of talented heating and cooling technicians who want to show you the right way to use your heat pump. In this blog, we’ll explain what emergency heat is, when to use it, and when to make sure it’s turned off!

Heat Pump Basics From Delaware’s Favorite Heating Company

First, your trusty Delaware heating team wants to talk about how heat pumps work and when emergency heat comes into play. In the winter, your heat pump pulls in air from outdoors and blows it into your home. When it gets too cold to pull in air from outside, a secondary heat source (such as a furnace or electric resistance heat) automatically kicks in to work in place of the heat pump. Emergency heat is NOT this secondary source. Instead, it’s a third, backup heat source that needs to be manually turned on, only if your heat pump breaks or isn’t functioning properly.

• When Should I Use It? If you hadn’t guessed already, you should only use your emergency heat in an emergency! If it’s getting too cold in your house, take a look at your heat pump – is it frozen over or not working? This is when you need to turn on your emergency heat and call your reliable HVAC company in Delaware for service.
• What Does It Do? When the emergency heat is on, you will see a red light on your thermostat. The emergency heat will make sure your broken heat pump stops working and that only the backup heat is used until your heat pump can be fixed.
• Why Shouldn’t I Use It Often? If you have an electric heat pump, this is going to jack up your heating bill…by a lot! Emergency heat is extremely expensive to run with an electric heat pump. So don’t push its buttons, unless it’s an emergency!

Contact The Most Reliable HVAC Business In Delaware Today!

If you’ve been using your emergency heat when you don’t really need it this winter, make sure to turn it off! But if there is a problem with your heat pump, turn it on and be sure to call your go-to HVAC company as soon as possible to get your heat pump fixed. You can call us at 1-302-947-8694, or you can fill out our contact form. We’ve got a reputation for courteous service, so we’ll get it taken care of immediately, the Gold Star way!