Auxiliary heat kicks on when your heat pump can’t produce enough heat to warm your home by itself. If your heat pump seems to be stuck on auxiliary heat mode and the temperatures outside are above 35 degrees, you should call the professionals at Precision Heating & Air. First off, AUX heat refers to your heat pump’s auxiliary (backup) heat source. Traditionally, almost everyone has considered the heat pump to be a poor candidate for night setback. However, when the outside temperature is 32° F or below, your auxiliary heat will usually turn on automatically. Actually this is not the case. Typically, your heat pump will energize the auxiliary heat strip inside your secondary heating source to help reach its set temperature more quickly. Knowing the difference between your heat pump’s auxiliary heat and emergency heat will help address the question from above. 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Heat pump running constantly. I chose disable because it sounds safer. Question. 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. I have a Lennox unit and my ecobee4 asked me if I wanted to allow the heat pump and auxiliary to run simultaneously? As we mentioned above, heat pumps absorb heat from the outdoor air and then move that heat indoors. For example, if you live in an area with long, cold winters, a heat pump will run more than in temperate climates. Aux heat comes from the same heat source as emergency heat, but aux heat works together with your heat pump, so it’s less expensive than emergency heat. Furnaces are powered by electricity, but they still use use natural gas a fuel source. Some heat pumps also have auxiliary heat, an additional stage of heating that is typically used when the heat pump compressor can’t keep up with cold weather conditions. However, I don't understand why you have a heat pump as primary heat. This is thought to be because of the need to use electric strip heat to return to the day setting in the morning. There … The same goes for warmer climates. 1In heat pump mode, this system setting is also the auxiliary heat setting. What this means, unfortunately, is that it’s more expensive than the conventional heat provided by a heat pump. Allow heat pump and auxiliary to run simultaneously? The system is designed so that both can operate simultaneously. Once it gets close to the actual setpoint, the aux heat de-energizes and the heat pump mode of the system remains operating to generate heat and will shut off if the temperature is satisfied. Post photos, respond to polls and access other special features. Heat pump running constantly in winter. Difference Between Auxiliary Heat and Emergency Heat. The home temperature raises to a point just short of the thermostat set point and then the auxiliary heat turns off as soon as possible. They will work in tandem when the temperatures drop to those cold numbers. Auxiliary heat can handle more extreme temperatures since it uses electric heat strips. Components – Coils, Heaters, Motors, etc. 2. If utilizing a fossil fuel auxiliary heat system, set to Gas or Oil Furnace. EM heat is an option on your thermostat that you can manually turn on to activate backup heating. Close. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. It’s possible that, if the weather is especially cold, your heat pump could run near-constantly without there being an issue. Letting the heat strips run all winter might keep you cozy, but it definitely has the potential to put a chill on your finances. COP: COP or Co-efficient Of Performance is a way of describing a heat pump's efficiency. The auxiliary heat pump should run more often when the temperatures outside dip below freezing. Yes... we are 20 years old. For better energy efficiency and comfort, change this setting to “Run heat pump and auxiliary heat simultaneously.” This way your auxiliary heat will supplement your heat pump rather than replacing it when the temperatures drop outside. Allow Heat Pump/Auxiliary Heat to Run Simultaneously: If you select Yes and there is a source of auxiliary heat, both auxiliary heat and heat pump will turn … 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. Pumped heat. In this setting, the heat pump will lock out before the fossil fuel auxiliary heat comes on; eliminating the need for a dual fuel kit. 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This is allowable because the indoor coil (condenser in the heating mode) is upstream of the AUX heating elements. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In a package system the heat pump may run simultaneously with the AUX heat. This is set at a default 35F (1.7C), so the heatpump will not be used when the weather outside is below 35 degrees Fahrenheit and only aux heat will be used in this case. The primary (1st) stage is the heat pump itself. It’s normal for your heat pump to switch to AUX heat when…...The temperature outside is below 35° Usually, once outdoor temperatures fall below 35°, a heat pump will struggle to keep your home warm and will automatically switch to AUX heat. Make sure that your thermostat is properly paired with your heat pump. Meanwhile the heat pump has been running non-stop throughout this time to maximize the cheap heat. A heat pump has two stages of heat. A subreddit for ecobee and all their smart home products. So in cold temperatures, the heat pump runs non stop to maximize your cheap heat but your home may remain a degree or two below your thermostat … I don’t have gas and I’m in south Louisiana where it doesn’t get crazy cold, if that helps? Most heat pump thermostats bring on the back up heat when the temperature difference between the room and that thermostat setting is 3 degrees or more. This wire is usually found in the W2/AUX connector on your thermostat. To start, the job of a heat pump is to take air from the outside your house, warm it and then blow it throughout the different parts of your home. The #1 question asked by NEW MEMBERS. Most “smart thermostats” are also designed to work with common heat pump configurations. Well if you don’t have gas then what is your auxiliary heat? They will both be running when the need for auxiliary heat is there. This is the heat you get when the compressor runs. Before you call for service, make sure the heat pump isn’t accidentally set to a/c mode, and that the set temperature is correctly set at the thermostat. A heat pump is usually powered by electricity, although there are heat pumps that run on natural gas, propane, or even solar or geothermal heated water but those are not found in residential use. Participate in over 40 different forums and search/browse from nearly 3 million posts. 0. Was that right? Having both heat sources running is not a bad thing - it’s for those really cold days where it knows your primary heating source won’t cut it so it needs supplemental heat. They also support several stages of heating and cooling and can run the heat pump and auxiliary heat simultaneously to maximize comfort and reduce overall energy costs. Switching to the emergency heat setting forces your heat pump to bypass the method it typically uses to produce warm air and instead rely solely on heat produced by the heat strip coils. Homeowners who notice their auxiliary heat rise as the temperatures drop may not have a … This applies to a heat pump with electric back up heat. Gain access to our free AOP (Ask a Professional) Section to get real answers for your questions. Archived. Posted by 2 years ago. I have a Lennox unit and my ecobee4 asked me if I wanted to allow the heat pump and auxiliary to run simultaneously? The compressor is what drives … Scenario 1 – Cool Air Blowing from Registers. Ask Our Pros-Owner Assistance - NO DIY advice will be given. Question. The ecobee asked this cause it assumes you have aux heat, is it electric? That will consume more energy and put out less heat, potentially leading to a much higher utility bill. NO HEAT – The space temperature drops more than 3 degrees below the thermostat's heating setpoint.. 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. Prolonged use of aux heat can cause your … Your thermostat is calling for a high temperature increase (2–4°F) The heat pump is in defrost mode. Our 20th year anniversary is May 21, 2020. Electricity is inherently less energy efficient than running the HP. In other words the indoor coil can reject heat into the return air stream. Compared to heat from the heat pump (COP 2.0 or 2.5) the auxiliary heat (COP 1.0) is quite expensive. Press J to jump to the feed. 3. That’s just how the heat pump … I chose disable because it sounds safer. AUX heat mode is normal when: The temperature outside is below freezing. You might notice your heat pump runs constantly in cold weather. If YOU want change, YOU have to first change. Systems with two stage cooling or a heat pump will have wires in the Y1 and Y2 connectors. Heat Pump Stuck in Aux Heat Mode. No-frills heat pump systems without the auxiliary heat capability sometimes make that feature an add-later option. Auxiliary heat is less energy-efficient than your heat pump, and it is meant to only run for short periods of time when temperatures drop. Your auxiliary heat supplements your heat pump’s heat––it doesn’t replace it. Another reason you may see the auxiliary/emergency heat come on is when it is unusually cold outside for an extended time. The reason for this is that a heat pump does a very good job of maintaining temperature, but is very poor at recovering temperature. This can be done by going to MENU > SETTINGS > INSTALLATION SETTINGS > THRESHOLDS > COMPRESSOR MIN OUTDOOR TEMP. This is because your outdoor heat pump will have a more difficult time creating enough warm air to heat your home. That's why it is called auxiliary heat it supplements the primary heat. If your heat pump is constantly running, there are likely three main causes: Unusually cold weather: Heat pumps are designed to work much more gradually than a furnace. 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