Skip to content

How To Stop Auxiliary Heat From Coming On Honeywell Thermostat

Your home is kept warm in two ways by your HVAC system. The default option is to heat your home efficiently with a heat pump. However, they have a feature that uses auxiliary heat to provide warmth quickly when needed.

This is because a heat pump can’t heat your home as quickly when it’s near freezing, and you need a space heater. However, many homeowners want to turn off auxiliary heat since it can deliver heat when you don’t wish to and increase energy bills.

Many HVAC systems’ thermostats send activation signals once the temperature falls two to three degrees below any temperature you set. One of the biggest names in heat control appliances is Honeywell thermostats.

Sadly, they use this auxiliary heat system too much for many homeowners. In our guide, you can learn how to turn off additional heat on Honeywell; aux heat on will be your choice, not your HVAC unit. By the end, you’ll see how to turn off the air conditioning and prevent it from blasting unwanted hot air. (Read Does A Shower Drain Need A Trap)

Stop Auxiliary Heat From Coming On Honeywell Thermostat

What Is Auxiliary Heat On My Honeywell Thermostat?

Auxiliary heat, or ‘aux heat,’ allows the Honeywell thermostat to increase the heat without waiting for outside temperatures to rise. Thermostats react to ambient temperature to adjust the home’s temperature.

When temperatures drop below a certain point in your home, a Honeywell thermostat automatically turns on auxiliary heat when the temperature drops a few degrees. Additional heat is a fast, effective way to heat your home, although energy costs rise.

It is also why many individuals want to know how to turn off auxiliary heat.

How Do I Stop HVAC Systems Auxiliary Heat On A Honeywell Thermostat

As we’ve already seen, aux heat can be expensive even though it helps with home heating. Though you can do something about it, there is no need to worry.

Make Your House Warmer

Warm up the atmosphere in your home. The warmth of the house will keep the aux heat from turning on. You can make it warmer by adding wall insulation or letting as much sunlight into your home through the windows as possible.

Additionally, you could use electrical devices known to turn a lot of heat when in use. When you consider this, the dryer and the oven come to mind. Run them for a bit longer.

Reduce House Temperature

When you buy a thermostat, you must set the home’s temperature. Lowering this temperature to 68-60 F, the aux heat won’t turn on. Programming controls the thermostat. This may make your home colder, but you can dress warmly. It’s the bills, so anything goes.

Setting a high temperature will require auxiliary heat since the external pump won’t do. Because of extra heat, energy costs will rise.

Avoid Using An Emergency Heat Setting

Few people are aware of the distinction between auxiliary heat and emergency heat. Emergency heat is a backup plan when specific heat pumps malfunction or break down.

Instead of using a heat pump, emergency heat works heat strips. Auxiliary heat works both the heat pump and the heat strips. Additional heating may be required in emergencies. It is, therefore, best to avoid it.

Auxiliary heating system functions on Honeywell Thermostats

FAQ

Do All Honeywell Thermostats Use Auxiliary Heat?

The auxiliary heating system functions are available on some Honeywell Thermostats but not others.

To maximize a thermostat’s effectiveness in combating cold temperatures in a room, it is crucial to ensure that it is connected to an HVAC system if it lacks an auxiliary heat function.

Can I turn off the auxiliary heat?

No, you can’t turn off the auxiliary heat. Additional heating will be a backup for your central heating system in a power outage. When it is off, it cannot function properly. (Learn How To Remove Silicone Caulk From Fiberglass)

When Should My Aux Heat Stay On?

Sometimes, the auxiliary heating feature is helpful. For example, additional heat functions help the heat pump or primary heat source heat your home more quickly when it’s below freezing point.

Leaving the thermostat down while sleeping is another scenario. Increasing it by three degrees triggers auxiliary heat for when you wake up rather than using the primary heating system. The extra heat backup isn’t working well if the interior temperature stays constant for 15 minutes.

How To Turn Off Auxiliary Heat on Honeywell Thermostat

The auxiliary unit is expensive despite being fast and helpful. Turn it off if you don’t want a high electric bill.

How to do that here:

Keep the House Temperature Low

There is a specific temperature that you must set as the house temperature when purchasing a new Honeywell thermostat. The aux heat won’t turn unless you raise this temperature to 68–70 degrees. That’s a component of the programming for your thermostat.

Even though this will make the house colder, you can compensate by donning warm clothing. Everything else can be cut because your primary concern is your electricity bill.

Make Your House Warmer

It’s crucial to create a warmer atmosphere in your home. This stops the aux heat from activating. Warm it up by adding insulation to the walls, and let in some natural light by opening the windows.

You can also turn them on whenever they use electrical equipment that produces heat. When you want to warm your home, the over-and-dry method is helpful.

Avoid Using Emergency Heat Setting

Many homeowners are unaware of the difference between auxiliary and emergency heat. Emergency heat is the backup plan when the heat pumps don’t work correctly.

While emergency heat mode is intended to operate solely with heat stripes, auxiliary heat typically pairs them with heat pumps. The aux heat can be turned on by setting emergency heating. So, stay away from it if you can.

Keep Unused Areas Closed

Many homeowners have unused extra rooms in their residences. Close the vents in those rooms and shut the doors. This enables the warm air still present to reach the other areas of the house. (Learn How Long Does Tile Adhesive Take To Dry)

Heating System Tune-up

Carry Out Heating Tune-up

Hiring a professional to tune up and inspect your heating system before the winter months arrive is a good idea.

Early fall is the ideal time to check that all the moving parts in your appliances are in good working order. By changing the air filters, you can determine that the heating system doesn’t require significant repairs.

How Long To Keep Auxiliary Heat On?

When your home needs to warm quickly, the AUX heat will turn on. It will remain on until the house reaches the temperature your Honeywell thermostat sets.

It shouldn’t take over 30 minutes to complete. Yet, you’ll need professional help if you spot any problems listed below.

The specialist will examine to identify the malfunction’s root cause.

  • The auxiliary heat is on for more than 30 minutes.
  • Every time you turn on the system, the auxiliary heat comes on.
  • The auxiliary heat is left on all day without being turned off.

When the outside temperature is above 40 degrees, additional heating is not required to keep your home warm. That’s because heat pumps can independently warm the house above that point. Therefore, something may be wrong if your system activates the auxiliary heat above 40 degrees.

Use the aux heat if your heat pump switches to defrost mode via the defrost control board settings. The aux heat will turn on if the thermostat requests a 3-degree temperature increase.

What Causes Aux Heat To Stay On?

The aux heat may run longer than necessary when the Honeywell thermostat malfunctions. The main problems that could lead to this are as follows:

Lack of Refrigerant

For heating units to disperse heat throughout the home. Your heat pump will stop warming up your home as soon as the refrigerant levels drop.

The heating systems are made to prevent this from happening. Insufficient refrigerant in your Honeywell thermostat could result from a leak as it spent so long in cooling mode through the summer.

Condenser Fan Motor Problems

The condenser motor significantly influences the airflow of the HVAC system. In that case, AUX heat will be used by the heat pump. Because of this, the problem may be resolved by cleaning or replacing the condenser fan motor.

Damaged Compressor

The aux heating may continue to run if the compressor is damaged. However, the ability of the heating system to distribute heat depends on this part. The thermostat will. Therefore, if broken, AUX heat turns on to warm your home to the target temperature.

Defrost Control Board Faults

The auxiliary heating starts up when the heating system is in defrost mode. A defrost control panel monitors this condition. The extra heat may turn to operate if the panel isn’t functioning correctly.

A malfunctioning defrost control panel may allow frost to build up on the condenser. This reduces the heat pump’s efficiency, forcing the aux heat or the emergency heating to remain on.

Faulty Reversing Valve

In the heating system, the reversing valve changes the flow direction of the refrigerant.

This makes it possible for the heat pump system to heat the home to the desired temperature setting. However, if it’s damaged, it may turn cold air through the vents and activate the secondary heat source of your aux heat. (Read What Size Wire For Electric Stove)

Auxiliary Heat vs. Emergency Heat

Auxiliary Heat vs. Emergency Heat: Key Differences

Depending on the model, your thermostat might have a setting for emergency heat. This enables you to turn on or turn off the auxiliary heating conveniently. But it alters how your system functions.

When you turn on the emergency heating setting, your heat pump is completely off. That implies that your HVAC system will only provide the auxiliary heater for your home. That is not what you want because it uses a lot of energy. Therefore, you should only occasionally use the extra heat turn on, and be sure to turn off your heat pump completely.

Heat pumps transfer heat from one area to another for heating and cooling. It moves heat from outside air into your home during the winter. The heat pump releases heat outside in the summer to cool you off.

The heat pump has an outdoor coil, condenser, and indoor air handler. The outdoor heat pump condensing unit circulates refrigeration for heat transfer, much like a central air conditioner.

A heat pump’s reversing valve reverses refrigerant flow. This means it can cool and heat your home. For heating, the outdoor condenser refrigerant absorbs outdoor air heat. In the compressor, it’s pressurized and heated to vapor or gas. It’s then sent to the air handler unit.

The vaporized refrigerant goes to the indoor unit coil. The coil absorbs heat from your home’s cold air. As heat leaves the refrigerant, the liquid is circulated to the outdoor unit.

Electric Heating Element

The auxiliary heater works with your heating system to keep your home warm when it’s too cold for the heat pump to be effective and is used as backup heat. When the heat pump alone can’t reach the desired temperature, the thermostat activates auxiliary heating.

After five, ten, or twenty minutes, your thermostat activates the auxiliary heat. Some thermostats can be manually set, but many are pre-programmed to turn on supplemental heat. The extra heat will shut off once the thermostat reaches the set temperature.

If auxiliary heat stays on for a long, your heating system may be broken.

Heat Pump Auxiliary Heat Mode

When auxiliary heat is on, the thermostat will know ‘AUX.’ The emergency heat is on because that thermostat setting must be manually turned on.

How You Stop When Auxiliary Heat Runs

In the northeast of the United States, preventing the auxiliary heat from ultimately coming on is almost impossible. Particularly in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, the heat pump system is very effective.

However, when temperatures fall below 40 degrees, your heat pump might struggle to draw in enough heat from the outside air to warm your house.

The auxiliary heat is crucial for ensuring your home is as warm as possible in cold weather.

Keep Thermostat Calls On Low Setting

The indoor temperature is often too high, triggering the auxiliary heat. Likewise, the extra heating mode may turn on when the thermostat is too high. Without this additional heat source, your heat pump system won’t provide enough warmth in temperatures below 40 degrees.

Lowering the thermostat to sixty-eight degrees can help. When the temperature is raised by over three degrees, the heat pump won’t reach the set temperature fast enough, so extra heat kicks in. (Learn How Much More Expensive Is Emergency Heat)

Reduce Heat Pump Malfunctioning With Maintenance

Small things add up often. Who knew a loose defrost or a faulty reversing valve could be so stressful? You can avoid high utility bills and chilly nights with heating maintenance.

During heating maintenance, a pro checks the condition and function of heating components. Next, they clean and adjust parts to ensure optimal heating and cooling performance.

Tune-ups are the best way to reduce supplemental heat use. But, even if everything seems fine, catch potential problems before they become costly repairs.

How To Stop Auxiliary Heat From Coming On Honeywell Thermostat