How to Troubleshoot a Heat Pump That the Emergency Heat Is Staying On
- 1). Check the red light indicator on your heat pump. This indicator lets you know that your unit is in emergency mode.
- 2). Turn your thermostat from emergency heat to normal heat. If the emergency heat is still not turning off, adjust the settings and select a temperature setting that's at least five degrees higher than the room temperature displayed on your thermostat.
- 3). Inspect your heat pump for freezing if the emergency heat is still running. The emergency heat may turn on if your unit is frozen. Check for water below your unit. Inspect the coil enclosure. If it's cold, your unit is likely frozen. If you see less than a quarter inch of snow, allow your unit's defrost cycle to melt the ice. If you see more than a quarter inch of snow, turn off your heat pump for a few hours to see if it will unfreeze. Contact a qualified appliance technician if it doesn't unfreeze.
- 4). Check the set point temperature settings on your thermostat if the emergency heat is still running because your unit may be trying to reach temperature settings it's not designed to reach. Press the "Reset" button on your thermostat to restore the default settings. If your thermostat doesn't have a reset button, turn off your thermostat for a few hours.
- 5). Locate the circuit breakers in the electrical panel next to your heat pump. Turn the heat pump's circuit breakers off and then turn them back on to reset them.
- 6). Contact a qualified HVAC technician if your heat pump's emergency heat won't turn off.
