Accidentally Used Emergency Heat? Don't Panic - Fix It Fast
It's a cold winter morning and you wake up shivering under the covers. You stumble to the thermostat and crank up the heat a few degrees, then head back under the blankets while your home warms up. An hour later, you're startled awake by the sudden roar of your furnace - it sounds like it's running on overdrive! A quick glance at your utility bill later shows an unusually high charge. What happened? You may have accidentally activated your HVAC system's emergency heat, leading to increased costs and equipment strain. Don't panic - this common mistake is fixable if you act quickly.
Emergency heat, also called auxiliary heat or backup heat, is a secondary heating system that's completely separate from your home's primary HVAC. When outdoor temperatures drop below a certain threshold, often around 30degF, emergency heat automatically kicks in to prevent your pipes from freezing and provide supplemental warmth. It's an essential failsafe during extreme cold. However, emergency heat isn't designed to run nonstop - it's less efficient and more expensive to operate than your main heating system. Accidentally leaving it on for too long can seriously impact your energy bills.
What Exactly is Emergency Heat?
Your primary HVAC system, whether a furnace or heat pump, works hard to keep your home comfortably warm. However, it can only heat indoor air a certain number of degrees above the outdoor temperature. That's where emergency heat comes in - it provides additional heating when needed.
There are two main types of emergency heat:
- Electric strip heating: Heating elements behind your vents heat up to rapidly warm air.
- Gas furnace: A secondary gas furnace kicks in to boost heat output.
Your specific HVAC system may utilize one or both strategies to generate emergency heat. While effective, running emergency heating for extended periods of time consumes much more energy than your primary system. The costs add up quickly.
Why Emergency Heat Usage Causes Problems
Using your emergency heat accidentally or unnecessarily can lead to several headaches:
- Higher utility bills from increased electricity or gas usage
- Excessive wear and tear on HVAC components
- Uncomfortably dry indoor air
- Noisy operation disrupting your household
In extreme cold when your regular furnace can't keep up, relying on emergency heat is expected. But you want to avoid running it as your primary heat source. Have you ever accidentally flipped the switch?
How to Know If You've Accidentally Activated Emergency Heat
It's easy to inadvertently turn on your backup heating system and not immediately realize it. Watch for these signs of accidental emergency heat usage:
- Hearing your furnace or coils activate when it's above 30degF outside
- Feeling intense blasts of warm air from your vents
- Seeing your energy bills suddenly increase
- Noticing the emergency/aux heat light lit up on your thermostat
If you spot any of these indicators, especially with temperatures above freezing, you've likely triggered emergency heat without meaning to. Now it's time to get the situation back under control.
4 Tips to Prevent Accidental Emergency Heat Activation
A little planning and vigilance goes a long way in avoiding unnecessary emergency heat use:
- Program your thermostat's schedule for weekday/weekend use when you are home or away.
- Familiarize yourself with proper temperature settings - your HVAC manual can advise.
- Upgrade to a smart thermostat you can control remotely via smartphone.
- Have your HVAC system inspected yearly to ensure optimal performance.
Taking these preventative steps will help you avoid surprise energy bills! But what if emergency heat is already mistakenly running?
Fixing Accidental Emergency Heat Activation
Don't panic if your backup heating unexpectedly switches on. Follow these steps to get your HVAC system back to normal:
- Lower your thermostat temperature to the typical operating range.
- Check that your primary heating system isn't malfunctioning.
- Contact an HVAC technician if your main heating fails to activate.
- Review energy bills to estimate emergency heat costs.
- Notify utility company for billing adjustments if usage was extremely high.
Getting emergency heat under control quickly can help minimize energy waste. With some thoughtful HVAC monitoring and maintenance, you can avoid accidental activation going forward.
Accidentally turning on emergency heat is a common stumble during frigid weather. But a bit of knowledge about your HVAC system can prevent missteps. Get familiar with proper operating temperatures and emergency heat settings. Invest in a smart thermostat for convenience and control. Stay on top of seasonal maintenance. And monitor energy bills closely for any spikes. With this winning winter strategy, you'll keep effective heating without the excessive costs.