The changing seasons and the constant wear-and-tear of your heating system can often lead to unexpected problems. Some issues can be addressed by performing routine maintenance, but other problems need immediate attention and professional repairs. The question of what constitutes an HVAC emergency can cause some confusion for homeowners, and there are a few key things to keep in mind that will help you determine whether your heating problems fall into the “emergency” category.
Emergency Heat
A heat pump warms your home by pulling in heat from the outside air and expelling it into the outside air, all using electricity and refrigerant flowing back and forth between an indoor air handler and the outdoor heat pump compressor. When temperatures drop below a certain point, the heat pump switches to its backup heating system, which can run on gas, oil, electric, or hot water. This backup system is referred to as the EM (emergency) heat setting on your thermostat. Normally, your heat pump will switch to the EM setting automatically when temperatures drop below a certain point, but it can also be manually activated by turning the EM heat setting on your thermostat.
By activating the EM heat setting, you are telling your system to bypass its heat pump and directly access its back-up heating source. This can be a very expensive option and will increase your heating costs significantly, especially if the EM heat setting is used in conjunction with your regular heating cycle. If your heat pump turns to EM mode, it’s important to call an HVAC professional right away to find and fix the problem before it gets too cold. Emergency Heating services