Selecting emergency heat forces the system to stop using the heat pump and run the backup heat source only.

When emergency heat is selected a switch in the thermostat tells the control system to bypass the compressor and outdoor unit so the heat pump is not operating. The indoor electric resistance strips or the fossil fuel furnace is energized directly and becomes the sole source of heat until the thermostat is returned to heat pump mode. This ensures warmed air delivery even if the heat pump has a fault that prevents normal operation. For homeowners check that the thermostat is actually set to the emergency position and verify the outdoor unit is quiet to confirm the compressor is off. Keep in mind electric strips are far less efficient than a working heat pump so energy usage will increase and bills will likely rise while emergency heat is in use. If you are unsure whether to switch to emergency heat call a trained technician to diagnose the heat pump rather than leaving the system in emergency mode for extended periods.

Common problems include leaving emergency heat on inadvertently which causes high energy use and higher bills; the fix is to label the thermostat with brief instructions to switch back when the outdoor unit is running normally and to check for system faults. Another issue is thinking emergency heat will speed warm up of a very cold home when the heat pump is functioning; the correct approach is to allow the heat pump to run because it is more efficient and will often maintain temperature more effectively than strips. A third concern is that some thermostats and wiring are not set up correctly so selecting emergency heat does not actually cut power to the compressor; remedy this by having a professional inspect thermostat wiring and controls to ensure the emergency heat circuit properly disables the heat pump.

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