What is emergency heat? When to turn on your emergency heat in winter
Potentially record-breaking cold is on the way for North Texas Sunday night, Jan. 25. ERCOT assured the state that the power grid will be working as normal amidst the first freeze of the season, and Texans are staying warm in their heated homes.
If for any reason your home’s power were to stop working, it would be because of a localized outage, not due to the ice storm.
Luckily, most HVAC systems are equipped with emergency heat options. Here is what to know about emergency heat and when you would need to use it.
What is emergency heat?
For those who have heat pumps to keep their house warm, you also have an emergency heat option.
A heat pump is an energy-efficient water heater that transfers heat from the outside air into your home, according to Aledo-based Texas Total Comfort Systems.
Emergency heat turns off the normal heat pump and warms your home through heating coils, according to Precision Comfort Systems. These have to work three times harder than the normal heat pump to heat your home as they are a back-up method and not as efficient. Because of this, using emergency heat can skyrocket your electricity bill.
When to turn on emergency heat in winter
The only reason to ever switch on emergency heat is if you suspect your heat pump is broken and not properly warming your home. Use emergency heat in the meantime while you wait for a professional to come fix your heat pump.
“Turning on your emergency heat unnecessarily can increase energy costs by two to three times, making it one of the most expensive heating mistakes homeowners make,” according to Precision Comfort Systems.
Do not turn on emergency heat to help your heat pump in the cold as it is a back-up option, not an option just because it’s cold out.