Homeowner Heating Guide
Auxiliary heat can be normal during colder weather, recovery from a big thermostat setback, or a defrost cycle. It becomes a service clue when the home keeps dropping, the outdoor unit is not doing its part, or the system shows an electrical or icing warning.
First note the outdoor temperature, thermostat mode, set temperature, room temperature, and whether the display says auxiliary heat, emergency heat, heat pump, or defrost. A short aux heat period can be normal. A home that keeps losing temperature is the bigger clue.
Tell Scott whether the outdoor unit is running, quiet, humming, heavily iced over, cycling in short bursts, or covered by leaves or snow. Do not open panels. The useful detail is whether the heat pump is helping, trying and failing, or not responding at all.
Compare with the heat pump not-heating guideShut the system off and stop resetting breakers if there is buzzing, arcing, smoke, a hot electrical smell, burning plastic, or a breaker that trips again. If the issue is normal poor heating or heavy aux heat use, request the $95 Springfield Diagnostic. Nearby towns may cost more based on drive time and location.
Read the diagnostic page