Heat Strips (Auxiliary Heat)
Electric resistance coils inside an air handler that back up a heat pump — simple and reliable, but they heat at one-half to one-quarter of the heat pump's efficiency. Well-designed Seattle systems use them rarely; strips running constantly signal a sizing or configuration problem.
The longer answer
Strips exist for recovery speed and deep-cold margin: they cover the gap below the heat pump's balance point and speed up big temperature recoveries. The thermostat's 'aux heat' indicator shows when they're running.
If aux heat lights regularly in mild weather, something's off — setback schedule too aggressive, a mis-set switchover, a failed outdoor sensor, or an undersized heat pump leaning on its crutch. A service visit can log exactly when and why auxiliary heat engages, which turns the bill mystery into a fixable setting.
The Seattle angle
The classic 'my new heat pump didn't lower my bill' story here is usually strips engaging on every recovery from a deep nighttime setback — a settings fix, not an equipment failure.
Guides that use this term
Where this decision happens
Nearby in the glossary
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