The Purpose of Auxiliary Heat
What is Auxiliary Heat?
Occasionally you may notice that your thermostat goes into auxiliary mode but you’re not sure why this happens. If your home has a heating system, it is equipped with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Heat can be distributed in your home in the form of an air handler or a gas furnace. Your thermostat produces heat from the indoor unit of your home to keep the temperature you have chosen.
The heat pump in your air conditioning system is reversible. In the summer months heat pumps work as an air conditioner by absorbing the heat within your home, and it is then releases it outside. During colder months, the heat pump absorbs air from outside your home and releases it inside to keep your household warm and cozy.
What is The Purpose of Auxiliary Heat?
When outdoor temperatures are freezing, it is very difficult for the heat pump to work efficiently, which causes the air handler to generate heat to warm your home. Auxiliary heat is then automatically switched on. This action could also occur when your thermostat is programmed or set a few degrees higher than the room temperature because it isn’t able to sustain the settings with the heat pump. In many systems the auxiliary heat turns on to supply heat that is needed to reach the desired temperature inside.
Why is Auxiliary Heat Important?
On chilly days it is not unusual for your heat pump to run for up to 20 hours a day, yet this is more resourceful and cost effective than running your electric backup heat for 5 hours. If you observe that your thermostat is signifying that your heat pump system is using auxiliary or emergency heat for a long time, you should have your unit evaluated immediately.
It is important that your system is working properly. It is necessary to assure that you are getting the most proficient operation from your heat pump; you can do this by having a semi-annual maintenance program performed on your unit. An evaluation of your system ought to be done before winter months so between September and October prior to winter and just before summer in April or May of each year. By having this done, you can be aware of the condition of your unit, and most likely if there are problems it can be easily fixed before it causes a catastrophic problem during extreme weather conditions.
If your home is in need of heating services, call Daniels Heating & Air LLC at (505) 898-8860 for the best services in the Albuquerque area.
