Thermostate Blowing Cold Air, Reads Aux Heat on

HVAC | Oct 22, 2021

What Does Auxiliary Oestrus on My Thermostat Mean?

Did you recently wake up on a freezing cold forenoon to pour yourself a hot loving cup of coffee, just to walk past your digital thermostat and see the words "Aux Heat" flashing on the read-out? This fourth dimension of year, rut pump auxiliary heat settings kicking into action happen oftentimes.

Only annihilation that is flashing on a screen can't mean something good, right? Well, information technology tin exist a good thing for your home and family in the correct state of affairs.

In this article, we'll help answer these questions yous're probably asking yourself:

What does auxiliary heat mean?
Is information technology bad to apply the auxiliary heating setting?
What is the difference between aux heat and emergency heat?
How tin can I end my auxiliary estrus from turning on?

What Does Aux Heat Mean?

Auxiliary estrus on your thermostat refers to your fill-in heating organization inside your oestrus pump, otherwise known as electric resistance heating. Your thermostat inside your house is actually what determines when the auxiliary heat gets turned on.

For periods of fourth dimension, the aux estrus indicator on your thermostat will light up or begin flashing, depending on if your domicile uses a Honeywell thermostat, Nest thermostat, or another type of smart thermostat, letting you know when this happens.

This is because when the temperature inside your home drops below the goal temperature yous've set the thermostat to, your thermostat energizes auxiliary oestrus. This commonly takes place once the indoor temperature on your thermostat reaches 2-3 degrees colder than the set indoor climate temperature. Aux rut will plow off once your home reaches the thermostat set betoken.

There are two primary reasons that tin can cause this setting to energize:

Heat Pump Can't Produce Plenty Heat

Sometimes we just need an actress heave of free energy to assist u.s. reach our goals. That's exactly what the auxiliary heating setting does for your home's heat pump organization.

Basically, if your estrus pump is struggling to maintain its goal temperature, your aux heat will plow on and give your heat pump a boost. Aux rut will kick on when your heat pump cannot evangelize enough warmth to heat your domicile.

Typically, your heat pump will energize the auxiliary heat strip inside your secondary heating source to help reach its fix temperature faster. If you lot encounter the indicator is on, it means your rut pump's electric resistance heating is activated.

Your System is in "Defrost Manner"

Are y'all seeing water ice form on your heat pump? If ice starts to build on your heat pump's outdoor unit, your heat pump will undergo a "defrost cycle" to cook it.

During this time, the system volition rely on aux heat to go on your home warm. When wintertime temperatures reach freezing temperatures, the outdoor coils can have water ice course effectually them. When that happens, your heat pump will automatically contrary the menses of the refrigerant then hot refrigerant is delivered to the outdoor unit of measurement to help melt the water ice away.

Your heat pump stops heating your home during this defrost cycle, causing some models to automatically switch to aux mode until the defrost cycle is over.

Signs Your Estrus Pump is in Defrost Fashion

Steam and/or h2o is seen coming from the outdoor unit
The fan in the outdoor unit of measurement is non running
A blinking lite on the unit itself to bespeak information technology's in defrost mode, in certain models

Auxiliary Heat vs. Emergency Heat

So so what's the deviation then between auxiliary heat and emergency heat?

During freezing weather, the outdoor rut pump volition be as well cold to speedily heat your home, which is when the auxiliary heating system would kicking on. Auxiliary heating turns on automatically to assistance heat your home more than quickly if the temperature drops all of a sudden.

Heat pumps require a supplemental heating source. This is especially critical when the temperature drops beneath 40 degrees Fahrenheit. These supplemental heating sources are things such as the previously mentioned electric resistance heating at the indoor unit of measurement. It can also include gas, oil, or even hot-h2o fill-in systems as well.

These supplemental heating sources are known as "2d-phase" or "back-upward" heating. The "outset state" heating is the rut pump itself. Emergency rut is when you utilise your "second-stage" by itself without using your "outset phase".

Explaining Emergency Estrus

So when should y'all use your Emergency estrus? In emergency situations just!

Emergency oestrus is best used when there's something incorrect with your "first phase" rut. Allow'due south say your home is non reaching the set up warm temperature and information technology's considering something has happened to your outdoor unit. You would then turn on the emergency oestrus and telephone call for service.

The emergency oestrus setting has to exist manually switched on and should but exist used in temperatures below 30 degrees. When turned on, the heat pump shuts off entirely, allowing yous to receive rut without dissentious your outdoor heat pump system. This should only be run when absolutely necessary to avoid damage to your fundamental heating organisation.

Having emergency rut on can, and will be, more than expensive to run. This is why information technology is merely used in an emergency situations.

How to Stop Auxiliary Heat From Coming On

It may seem like information technology isn't much you can do when your Honeywell thermostat says the auxiliary estrus is on or any other model thermostat. If the temperatures are extremely frigid outside, even this may exist also much for your unit. Yous may need to brand some boosted changes to your home to keep the auxiliary oestrus from coming on.

Learning how to stop auxiliary oestrus from coming on can actually be quite simple, and assistance yous save on your heating bills this winter.

Lower The Set Heat Temperature

Generally, the aux heat is coming on because the temperature in the domicile is set too high. You are asking your HVAC system to work too difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature. Setting the thermostat for somewhere between 62-68 degrees is all y'all should need to do to get the trouble under control.

Make Your Domicile More Comfortable

Another effective fashion you tin keep the aux estrus from running is to create a cozy, warmer atmosphere inside your home. Open your window shades in the day and let the sun warm rooms whenever possible. Recollect y'all tin always layer up wearing thick clothes and snuggling upwardly with a cozy blanket.

Shut Off Unused Rooms

Most people have areas of their homes, like a spare sleeping accommodation or a den, that are not used throughout the day. Close off those rooms by shutting the door and closing the vents so that the rest of the warm air can be redirected to the rest of your habitation.

Thermostat Constantly on Aux Rut Setting

In the dead of wintertime, or even on a milder winter day, some people observe their thermostat is stuck on aux rut. As we've talked about before, this is considering their HVAC system simply can't keep upwards with a reasonable demand to estrus the home. This is a serious effect that will likely demand to exist seen past an experienced HVAC technician.

Schedule Seasonal Heating Tune-Up

Earlier the winter season really begins, information technology is best to schedule a time to have your heating system inspected and tuned upwardly. Early on autumn is a peachy time to make certain that all of your moving components are in working order, air filters are inverse, and that your heat source itself does not need whatsoever major repairs.

Look to Your Thermostat

If yous got your heating maintenance performed back in the fall and aux heating is still staying on, your thermostat could be the culprit. Newer thermostats may cause the auxiliary heat to come on more chop-chop than older ones. If the temperature does not pick up within the showtime few minutes, many of the new models will prompt the aux heat setting.

If you have an older thermostat and are all of a sudden experiencing aux estrus overload, it may take to exercise with the specific model or time to have an HVAC contractor look at your heat pump. The issue could lie with your heating system.

Heat Pump Repair Service from ARS/Rescue Rooter

If you think your estrus source needs immediate attention, and you lot're not getting enough heat into your domicile, trust the home service provider ARS/Rescue Rooter for rut pump repair or replacement service. Our squad will piece of work fast to warm your home in a timely style with dependable emergency HVAC service and affordable heat pumps.

To contact us, requite united states of america a telephone call at 866-399-2885 or find your nearest location to you and schedule service right away from ARS/Rescue Rooter!

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