When bitter cold weather strikes, you expect your heat pump emergency heating system to reliably kick in and keep your home comfortable. But what if those electric coils or gas burners inexplicably refuse to activate despite plummeting temperatures outside? Before you freeze or rack up a massive heating bill running problematic emergency heat nonstop, try these practical DIY troubleshooting tips first to potentially restore heat yourself.
Why Your Heat Pump’s Emergency Heat Isn’t Working
To understand why your emergency heating isn’t engaging properly, you need to first recognize when there’s even an issue. Here are three key signs your system’s supplemental heat has stopped working right:
Signs Your Emergency Heat Isn’t Working Properly
- Not turning on when regular heat can’t keep up. If outdoor temps dip below 30-40degF, your emergency heat should automatically take over to prevent cold spots and uncomfortable chill. Lack of warmth usually means it’s not kicking in.
- Blowing cold air. You’ve cranked your thermostat up high yet still feel blasts of frigid air from the vents – not good. Malfunctioning emergency coils let cold airflow pass through without properly heating it first.
- Short cycling on and off. You’ll hear the system turn on then quickly shut off repeatedly when the emergency heat fails to ignite and hit target temps. Either the burners aren’t lighting or coils aren’t heating.
Common Causes of Heat Pump Emergency Heat Failure
If your supplemental heating isn’t operating, pinpointing the reason is key to restoring warmth ASAP without waiting days for technician availability. Here are five widespread causes of emergency heat malfunction to check first:
Thermostat Set Incorrectly
It seems simple, but many emergency heat shutdowns owe to an incorrectly programmed thermostat. If settings aren’t properly configured to your system, the supplemental heat won’t know when to activate. Before anything else, double check your thermostat:
- – Set to “Emergency” or “Auxiliary” Heat setting
- – Temperature raised at least 2degF above room reading
- – Powered on and operating normally
A quick reset clearing out old programming gremlins could potentially get your emergency heat kicking once more too.
Power Issues
No power equal no emergency heat – period. Tripped circuit breakers, blown fuses, and power outages during winter storms can all cut electricity to your HVAC components. Track down the electrical disconnect and check:
- – Circuit breaker – flipped off or faulty?
- – Fuse – blown and needs replacing?
- – Outdoor unit has power and isn’t damaged?
Restore power first, then retry emergency heat activation once everything energizes. Still won’t start up? Move down the list.
Frozen Heat Pump
Encountering subzero wind chills and prolonged below freezing conditions causes serious ice buildup on vulnerable heat pump coils. Thick frost accumulation then completely encases outdoor components, preventing proper airflow and heat transfer:
- – Heat exchanger coils freeze over
- – Fans and compressors bind up
- – Defrost sensors can’t trigger melt cycles
You’ll likely hear odd noises as the ice-caked pump struggles yet fails to warm blown air. Acting fast to defrost is key for restoring functionality.
Broken Parts
Mechanical or electrical component failure also frequently stalls out emergency heating activation. As pumps age and weather years of extreme seasonal shifts, critical parts deteriorate then fail, including:
- – Seized, worn out, or broken compressors
- – Cracked heat exchanger coils
- – Faulty control or defrost boards
Pay attention for blinking error codes or flashing indicator lights suggesting control faults. When hardware malfunctions, only replacing damaged parts rescues dead emergency heat modes.
Refrigerant Problems
Lack of adequate refrigerant flow severely hinders emergency heat performance. Leaky lines and equipment allow the vital cooling chemical to slowly yet continuously bleed out over time. Low levels lead to:
- – Reduced efficiency and capacity
- – Compressor overheating and failure
- – Aux heating coils not reaching set temperatures
Catching refrigerant leaks early and recharging prevents long term damage and emergency heat problems. Annual pro maintenance checks help too.
Clogged Filters
Don’t underestimate how much restrictions in your ductwork hinder airflow required for emergency heating systems. Clogged air filters choke off airflow:
- – Emergency coils unable to heat reduced air volume
- – Backup electric/gas heating also affected
Many heat pump manuals even recommend upgrading to better MERV 13+ filters with condensers for improved particle capture. Routinely swapping out air filters prevents choking dust buildup over time.
Practical Fixes to Attempt at Home
Before scheduling pricey, hard-to-book emergency technician visits for suspected heating failures, try troubleshooting the issue yourself using a systematic approach. Here are practical, realistic DIY attempts you can make to resuscitate a seemingly dead emergency heat system:
Thermostat Adjustments and Reset
As mentioned before, incorrectly set thermostats cause the majority of emergency heat malfunctions. Review all your thermostat settings first – temp, mode, fan speed. Even modern smart thermostats have quirks requiring rebooting now and then. Reset the device completely to factory defaults if irregularities or programming glitches are suspected. Run through the full installation setup again carefully reconfiguring to your system’s specs. Buttons pressed out of sequence or options toggled inaccurately easily throw off HVAC system control logic.
Check Electrical Connections
Power problems tend to masquerade as dead emergency heating too. Check your breaker box and inspect the state of all HVAC electrical connections. Watch for any arching, melted wires, or loose terminals suggesting short circuit overload issues. Flip breakers completely off then on again to reset trips. Swap out blown fuses assisting devices above their current ratings. Verify your outdoor condenser/evaporator unit itself has power by listening for fan noises while toggling heating modes. Electrical repairs keep both cool AC and emergency heating operational through harsh weather shifts.
Thaw Frozen Coils
Icy buildup on outdoor unit coils definitely stalls heat pump emergency heating. But before calling costlier defrost service visits, DIY homeowners can try clearing frost themselves:
- Turn off full HVAC system at breaker first for safety
- Use a hair dryer on hottest setting pointed near coils to melt ice carefully
- Check outer unit for any obstructed/failed defrost sensors too if present
- Clear snow piles against units allowing adequate airflow
A bit of warmth restores frozen coil airflow allowing heat pumps to resume normal operation. Just take care not to damage delicate evaporator/condenser fins when chipping off chunks manually. Defrost sensors may also need replacement if blocked by ice or constantly fail initiating melt cycles properly.
Replace Air Filter
Air filters clogged with dust/pet hair easily yet quietly throttle emergency heating system performance. Switch off HVAC power at the breaker again for safety first. Then check the current filter status – is it a darker gray or brown color now? Quickly slide out the frame and old filter, replacing it with an equivalent new one instead. While you have access, check entire duct runs for any obvious blockages too. Power things back up to see if airflow improves auxiliary heating output. Poor airflowstarves both electrical coil and compressor performance. Take the five minutes replacing air filters as scheduled avoids bigger problems down the road.
Added Emergency Heat Insulation
Improving home insulation helps minimize how heavily you need to rely on supplementary electric/gas heating too. Adding extra insulation around ductwork running through unheated spaces keeps delivered air warmer. Use weatherseals or window insulation film to better seal drafty doors/windows letting cold outside air constantly invade. The less your main system fights dropping environmental temperatures, the less emergency coils or furnaces need to activate fixing chill issues. DIY insulation projects make good introductory upgrades before considering full professional energy audits later.
Professional Heat Pump Emergency Heat Repairs
Attempted all the quick home remedies yet still enduring bone-chilling cold? At this point, underlying mechanical or refrigerant-based faults likely plague the unit. Contact an experienced local HVAC technician for emergency repairs before permanent damage sets in. Expect a trade professional to thoroughly:
Diagnose Malfunctioning Parts
Skilled heat pump repairmen draw on specialized digital gauges, multimeters, and leak detectors to isolate issues average Joes can miss. Expect testing of:
- – Electrical continuity through circuits/components
- – Refrigerant pressure levels
- – Part operation outside normal thresholds
Correctly identifying and locating failed parts is crucial before quoting replacement parts or repairs. Don’t try guessing with online component orders – let pros detect flaws!
Fix Electrical Problems
Once diagnosed, typical electrical fixes emergency heating service calls address involve:
- – Replace damaged breakers not resetting properly
- – Rewire loose compressor/thermostat connections
- – Install hard start kits for weak compressors
Restoring power flow and signal continuity allows automation logic smoothly transition between normal and auxiliary heat again. Think preventatively too – surge protectors help.
Replace Faulty Parts
If testing confirms components overheating or seizing up, emergency heat restoration requires swapping hardware. Commonly replaced parts include:
- – Compressors and heat exchanger coils
- – Control/defrost boards
- – Broken temperature/pressure sensors
Don’t neglect minor repairs either – fan bearings, valve leaks, belt replacements – which degrade performance over time. Component reliability is everything for managing extreme seasonal shift demands. Upgrade versus repair older units.
Address Refrigerant Leaks
Left unattended, refrigerant leaks gradually disable whole AC systems through pressure loss and fluid starvation. Pro recharging services properly:
- – Pressure test lines/coils to identify leakage points
- – Seal up detected perforations and weak joints
- – Replenish refrigerant to specified system charge levels
Annual checks prevent slow hard-to-locate leaks from causing repeat heating failures each winter. Consider automatic refrigerant monitoring accessories too.
Upgrade Home Insulation
For homes needing substantial sealing upgrades minimizing winter heat loss, HVAC techs offer comprehensive air leakage solutions:
- – Perform whole house energy audits
- – Install blown-in wall insulation where lacking
- – Apply weatherproofing around all doors/windows
Sealing the building envelope better keeps warm air in and cold air out. Lower heat pump run times and emergency heat activation naturally follow. Explore rebates on upgrades too!
Fighting the repairs bill or rental insurance coverage battle, emergency space heating can warm inhabitants while navigating claim processes:
- – Portable space heaters temporarily ease chill in occupied rooms
- – Electric blankets preheat beds before sleep
- – Layer on wool, flannel, and synthetics trapping body heat
- – Stay with nearby family or friends until fixes complete
While not long term solutions, small steps ease discomfort allowing homeowners calmly arranging professional repairs or replacements.
Before abandoning hope and heat, run through all these hands-on troubleshooting suggestions first. Often simple oversights or quick cleanings get wrongly diagnosed ‘broken’ emergency heating humming again. But if all self-fixes fail, don’t delay – pick up the phone scheduling pro HVAC assistance protecting your home, budget, and comfort this winter.
