Greg McAfee of McAfee Heating and Air explains why. "The heat pump runs and it heats great down to about 35 degrees or so. At 35 degrees your electric heat in the air handler is kicking on and it's heating, and it's making up for the heat pump heat."
He said gas heat is always going to be warmer and feel differently, but for those with electric heating, there is a way to make your home warmer and control your electric bill.
First, said McAfee, switch the thermostat to emergency heat. "It shouldn't be called emergency heat, it should be called auxiliary heat," said McAfee. "When it gets below freezing you've got both of them running anyway so switch to emergency heat. That shuts down the outdoor unit and you're running 100 percent of the electrical elements inside. "
Other ways to cut heating costs include keeping your filters clean, and having preventative maintenance done on your unit in the fall so you can stay warm in the winter.
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