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Posted on December 5, 2014 by

The Purpose of Auxiliary Heat

 

Manchester HeatingAuxiliary Heat

Auxiliary heat is your heating pump's backup. The unit automatically turns on the electric heat strip to help warm the house when needed and this is indicated by "AUX". Often people confuse auxiliary heat and emergency heat. Emergency heat is manually turning on the heat to help warm the house. This is indicted by "EM" heat light.

The Purpose Of Auxiliary Heat

Your heating unit reaches a point when it can't efficiently transfer heat from outside, usually about 35 degrees. At this point, auxiliary heat kicks into action. Auxiliary heat also helps out when the unit needs to defrost. Sometimes the outdoor coil ices over in very cold weather and the unit goes into defrost mode.

This is the opposite of the cooling mode, instead the coil heats up and melts the ice off the outdoor part of the unit. At this time, auxiliary heat is a help because it comes on to help warm the house. Any time the unit goes into a cooling mode, auxiliary heat jumps in to keep the house at a perfect temperature.

Auxiliary Heat is Important

Auxiliary heat is vital to your home because it steps in when the main unit is unable to keep the house at its most comfortable. If your auxiliary heat stops working, your house will get cold, especially in the worst part of winter. Some potential reasons for the auxiliary heat to malfunction is bad installation, mechanical failure in the heat pump, or a faulty thermostat. While you can continue to turn on emergency heat, this is a strain to your unit and its a good chance the emergency heat won't work either if auxiliary heat is down.

Auxiliary HeatSometimes the auxiliary heat works all the time. This is bad as well, because it means the main unit isn't working up to par. No matter the auxiliary problem, it must be repaired because when the system is off balance, the unit runs more and is under strain and this cost money.

Do not try to fix it yourself, even if it is in the middle of the night. Your heating unit is a complicated machine which uses electricity and electricity is not for the untrained. Instead, call a professional who can figure out the reason the auxiliary is off.

If your home is in need of heating services, call Skovron Mechanical Services LLC. at (603) 674-9885 for the best services in the Manchester area.