Heat pumps don't work well when its below freezing point temperature's
The "E Heat" setting on a Bryant thermostat typically stands for Emergency Heat. This setting is used to activate the system's backup heat source in case the primary heat pump is not able to meet the heating demands during extreme cold weather conditions. It is important to use this setting sparingly as it consumes more energy than the primary heat pump.
During an emergency. i.e. when the heat pump is not working. If your heat pump can not keep your house warm, then the auxiliary heating coils (same thing as emergency heat) will come on automatically. If not, then there is a problem with your heating system.
There is still enough heat in the air to run your heat pump when the temp is in the 30,s
Emergency heat on a heat pump should typically be used when outdoor temperatures drop below 30°F (-1°C) or when the heat pump is struggling to maintain the desired indoor temperature due to extreme cold. It's also advisable to activate emergency heat if there is a malfunction in the heat pump system, especially if indoor temperatures are dropping rapidly. Using emergency heat can help ensure comfort but may lead to higher energy costs, so it's best used only when necessary.
If you have a heat pump A/C unit then you have auxillary heat and emergency heat. The EM stands for emergency heat, which is using only your electric heat strips or gas heat, depending on your system. The auxillary heat uses your compressor inside of your outside unit. Say the house is 60 degrees inside and you set your stat to 70, the temperature difference is so great that if the heat pump alone cannot satisfy, then the auxillary heat would come on to assist the heat pump. Say you were to get a leak in either your condenser or evaporator coils, your heat pump would not work on the regular heat setting on the tstat. In this circumstance you would want to use just the emergency heat until a service tech can evaluate the system.
EM (or emergency heat) can be used if you have a problem with your other heat source such as a heat pump. In most cases, you will not need this but what it does is bi-passes the primary heat source and allows your secondary heat source (normally your furnace) to become the primary.
A heat pump and a refrigerant system both use refrigerant to transfer heat. The refrigerant absorbs heat from one area (such as indoors in a heat pump) and releases it in another area (such as outdoors in a heat pump). The main difference is that a heat pump can both heat and cool a space, while a refrigerant system is typically used for cooling only.
With a normal split system you will have to reclaim refrigerant, install reversing valve, install defrost kit including timer contactor and frost detector. Going to need more control wires to outside and a heat pump thermostat. Going to be a big deal for sure. Go buy a used unit from an installer. If you use gas it's possible your electricla service might need to be increased if you decide to use electric heat as the emergency heat.
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A programmable thermostat works fine with a heat pump. Just remember that a heat pump does not heat as fast as a furnace because of the lower BTU ratings so do not set the thermostat as far back as you normally would. Also make sure to buy a thermostat that has heat pump terminals.
The most used type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air using conduction. If you heat with electricity, a heat pump can trim the amount of electricity you use for heating by as much as 30% to 40%, even 50%.
To effectively use an emergency blanket in emergency situations, unfold the blanket and wrap it around your body to retain body heat. It can also be used as a shelter or ground cover to protect against the elements. Make sure to keep the shiny side facing inward to reflect body heat back towards you.