Emergency heat is usually much more expensive than normal heating—often 2–6 times the cost of running your standard heat pump or furnace, especially when it uses electric resistance strips.

How expensive is emergency heat?

Emergency heat on a heat pump typically uses electric resistance coils, which are one of the most costly ways to heat a home. In one common example, running a standard heat pump for a week in cold weather might cost around $30–$35, while running emergency heat for the same period can be closer to $190–$200—over $160 more for that week alone.

Why emergency heat costs so much

  • It uses inefficient electric heat : Emergency heat on many heat pump systems is basically a large electric space heater built into your air handler, converting electricity directly to heat instead of moving existing heat like a normal heat pump does.
  • Energy use can jump 5–6× : Some utilities and HVAC pros estimate emergency heat can use up to six times more energy than normal heat pump operation in similar conditions.
  • It often runs for long stretches : When outside temperatures are very low or the main heat pump has a problem, the emergency strips may run for hours at a time, driving your bill up quickly.

Think of it this way: normal heat pump = efficient “heat mover”; emergency heat = big electric toaster for your whole house.

Real‑world cost ranges

Exact numbers depend on your home and local energy rates, but typical scenarios look like this.

  • A week of normal heat pump use in freezing weather: roughly $30–$40.
  • A week relying on electric emergency heat in very cold weather: roughly $180–$200+.
  • For households that lean on emergency heat heavily during a cold snap, it can add $100–$300 to a single month’s bill depending on climate, rates, and runtime.

If your home uses gas or oil as the backup/emergency source instead of electric strips, the cost increase may be smaller, because gas is often cheaper per unit of heat than straight electric resistance.

When (and how) to use emergency heat

Emergency heat is meant as a backup for special situations, not an everyday setting.

Use it when:

  1. The outdoor unit (heat pump) is frozen, damaged, or clearly not working.
  1. A professional or your utility instructs you to switch to emergency heat temporarily.

Try to avoid:

  • Manually flipping to emergency heat just because it is very cold outside; modern heat pumps are designed to run in low temperatures and will bring in supplemental heat automatically if needed.
  • Leaving emergency heat on for days without checking why the main system is struggling, as this can cause surprise bills.

Tips to keep costs down

  • Keep the thermostat a few degrees lower than usual when on emergency heat (for example, 65–68°F instead of 72°F) to reduce runtime.
  • Seal drafts and improve insulation so the system does not have to work as hard during cold snaps.
  • Schedule regular maintenance for your heat pump so it is less likely to fail and force you into emergency mode.
  • If you have a choice of backup fuels (electric vs gas), ask an HVAC pro and check local rates—gas backup is often more cost‑effective than electric strips.

Bottom line: emergency heat works and keeps you safe, but it is a high‑cost safety net—use it when you must, fix the underlying issue quickly, and rely on your normal heat pump or furnace the rest of the time.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.