You can test a heat pump in both the heat cycle in summer or the cool cycle in winter with some limitations. In the summer you should only run your heat pump in the heat cycle long enough to notice that it is heating. Too long would not be good.
In the winter you should only run the heat pump system long enough to notice that it is cooling, but it’s not going to feel the same as in summer when it’s hot out. Naturally manufacturers a going to discourage anyone from running there heat pump in heat mode in summer or cool mode in winter.
How To Test Emergency Heat On A Heat Pump
Testing the emergency heat for a heat pump is a simple operation. It can be done without any tools. You basically go to your thermostat and switch it to the emergency heat setting and turn up the heat.
Either with your hand or a thermometer if you want to be technical, wait for about a full minute or so and you should begin to feel some heat coming out of your registers.
One thing you will not know without the tools is if all the heat is coming on or not. To know if all the heat is coming on you will need a volt meter and will have to remove the door to the air handler or furnace. This is a job for someone used to electricity or better yet a good heat pump service technician.
