Should My Outdoor Heat Pump Run While Auxiliary Heat Is On?

Coordinating your heating systems efficiently is essential for maintaining comfort and minimizing energy costs. Understanding how your heat pump and auxiliary heat (like a gas furnace) work together can help ensure your home stays warm and your utility bills stay reasonable.

Understanding the Role of a Heat Pump

Heat pumps are designed to extract heat from the outdoor air and transfer it indoors to warm your home. During optimal temperatures, they can be highly efficient. However, as the temperature drops, the efficiency of a heat pump decreases. When the outdoor temperature drops below a certain point, a heat pump may struggle to provide the necessary warmth, leading to situations where auxiliary heat may need to be activated.

What Is Auxiliary Heat?

Auxiliary heat, often from a gas furnace or electric resistance heating, is a supplementary system that steps in when the heat pump can no longer meet the heating demands. This system is typically activated when the outdoor temperature falls below a critical level, such as when the heat pump can no longer efficiently transfer enough heat to keep the home warm. Gas furnaces and electric resistance heaters provide the additional heat needed to keep your home comfortable.

System Control and Coordination

Proper coordination between a heat pump and an auxiliary heat source is crucial for effective and energy-efficient heating. In most systems, when the auxiliary heat is activated, the heat pump should shut off. This coordination ensures that the heat pump isn't attempting to compete with the auxiliary heat, which can lead to inefficiencies and increased energy consumption.

In most setups, the heat pump should shut off when the auxiliary heat turns on. This prevents both from operating simultaneously, which can be wasteful and increase utility bills.

Understanding the Exceptions

While it is generally not ideal for both the heat pump and auxiliary heat to run simultaneously, there are some rare exceptions where this might be necessary. For example, some systems might be specifically designed to run both units together in certain circumstances. However, these scenarios are not common and usually require a specialized system setup.

Problems and Solutions

If you notice your heat pump and auxiliary heat system running simultaneously, there are a few things to check:

Thermostat settings: Ensure that the thermostat settings are appropriate and that the difference between the heating and cooling settings is sufficient to prevent simultaneous operation. Potential thermostat malfunction: If the thermostat is not functioning correctly, it might not properly coordinate the operation of the heat pump and auxiliary heat. Consulting a professional HVAC technician can help diagnose and fix any issues.

Additionally, some advanced thermostats can handle the automatic staging of heat pump and auxiliary heat. However, more basic thermostats may require you to manually switch to Emergency heat mode to activate the supplemental heat strips. In this case, the pump heat should remain on unless the thermostat is specifically programmed to shut it off.

Conclusion

Coordinating your heating systems properly can significantly improve your home’s comfort and reduce energy costs. By understanding the roles of your heat pump and auxiliary heat, you can ensure that both systems are working in harmony to keep your home warm and efficient. If you encounter any issues, it's always advisable to consult with a professional HVAC technician to ensure everything is functioning correctly.