Running an HVAC fan continuously may sound counterintuitive. You might thinking constantly running the HVAC fan would cost more, increase motor wear, and require more frequent filter changes. Believe it or not, there are hidden benefits to keeping the fan on.
While a furnace fan that won’t stop may signal a technical issue, setting the fan to “ON” at the thermostat can be good. After all, it’s designed to run continuously, and you may see several perks.
5 Perks of Always Running Your HVAC Fan
1. Improved Air Circulation
Heated and cooled air don’t always circulate properly. One reason is heat rises because it’s lighter, pushing cold air to lower floors and making upper floors and attics very warm. Running the fan evens out temperatures throughout every room in your home because it consistently brings warm and cool air together.
Running the furnace fan constantly won’t necessarily make it fail sooner. You can actually extend service life by keeping the fan on, provided that the equipment was properly installed, and your ductwork is correctly sized.
3. Lower Bills
Instead of being more costly to run, a variable-speed motor can reduce costs. This is especially the case if it is ENERGY STAR rated. Efficiency has other benefits as well, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the demand for importing energy.
4. Better Indoor Air Quality
Whenever the fan is on, air is going through the furnace filter. Leave it on continuously and you’re likely to see less dust around. It’s also important to have a good filter. The many types of HVAC filters can help reduce allergies, VOCs, as well as bacteria and viruses.
An HVAC fan helps circulate air, which in turn dries out moist areas such as bathrooms. Less moisture typically means less mold. This results in fewer odors and hazards to you and your family’s respiratory health.
Should I Always Keep My Fan Running?
It is usually a good idea to keep a modern HVAC or furnace fan on. However, if you have ductwork in your attic, the summer heat can make running the fan impractical. Temperatures well above 100℉ can end up in your main living space. It also won’t help if your ductwork is leaking. Make sure to have your ducts tested and sealed from time to time so your HVAC system is as efficient as it’s designed to be.
If you’re concerned about constant fan use and energy consumption, it could be a good idea to install a more efficient motor. Older furnaces tend to use PSC type motors. However, a high efficiency ECM motor can cut energy use despite running more often.
Get Help from Sky Heating, AC, Plumbing & Electrical
We provide a wide range of home services and employ the expertise, tools, and equipment to get the job done right. Updating your HVAC fan yourself might not be a good idea. Our staff can determine whether your fan is ready to be run all the time. They can provide advice and inspect and repair your air conditioning system and ductwork, so it offers the comfort, efficiency, and air quality you need. If you have any further questions about running an AC or furnace fan continuously, or suspect there’s a problem with your AC unit in Portland, schedule service on the web or call us directly at (541) 275-2918.
Most modern HVAC systems have motors that cost about the same as a 40-watt light bulb when you leave the fan in the 'on' setting. 'Auto' is the typical setting that the air conditioner is set to which is actually more energy-efficient because it only runs when it needs to.
The fan will constantly blow air into your room if you have the thermostat turned “ON.” If it is on “AUTO,” it will only turn the fan on when heated air needs distribution. So yes, running HVAC continuously throughout the day and night is perfectly safe!
Your blower motor circulates air through the furnace and can provide uniform temperatures. Many people leave their HVAC fan on all day, while others opt for two to three cycles per hour, ranging from ten to 25 minutes, depending on how close to heating or cooling temperatures they are.
The AC uses less energy in fan mode than when cooling. But running the fan all the time can increase the amount of maintenance your HVAC system might need. That's because the filter can clog up sooner and mechanical wear and tear can accelerate.
Therefore, the fan uses about 360 kWh per month in the ON mode. The average kWh in the US costs about $0.12 so it costs about $43 per month, or about $520 per year, to run a fan continuously.
So generally speaking, it makes sense to run the fan constantly, or use the circulate option on a thermostat, if there is minimal heating/cooling taking place and you aren't opening the windows for ventilation or air movement.
It is usually a good idea to keep a modern HVAC or furnace fan on. However, if you have ductwork in your attic, the summer heat can make running the fan impractical. Temperatures well above 100℉ can end up in your main living space. It also won't help if your ductwork is leaking.
Lower Heating and Cooling Costs – It may sound counterintuitive that running a fan all day would lower your electricity bill, but it can often be the case—provided that you have a newer furnace installed.
In extremely cold or hot temperatures, your heating and cooling systems have to run hard to balance the temperature in the whole house. The fan helps with that. It pushes cool or warm air throughout your home so that it reaches every room, whether downstairs or upstairs.
As the refrigerant evaporates, it absorbs heat from the air passing over the coils. This cooled air is then circulated back into your home through a system of fans and ductwork. So while your AC unit does take in some amount of outdoor air, the vast majority of the air it's circulating is already inside your home.
Fans use around 1% of the electricity consumed by air conditioners. You could leave a fan running for 24 hours and still use less energy than 15 minutes of air conditioning. On average, an air conditioner costs between $0.06 and $0.88 per hour to use, according to inspirecleanenergy.com data.
The recommended fan run time per hour is typically around 20 minutes per hour, or about 33% of the time. However, this may vary depending on factors such as the desired temperature, occupancy patterns, and the specific HVAC system.
When it comes to whether you should set your furnace fan to “on” or to “auto” in winter, the answer for me is “auto” because it's the move that has the most to do with energy efficiency. It is not, however, the only thing you can do this winter to bolster your HVAC system's energy efficiency.
Conclusion. In conclusion, auto mode in air conditioning not only helps save energy and reduce costs in the long run, but also improves indoor air quality, offers greater control and customisation, and can be more comfortable for the user.
You don't want to waste energy when you're out of the house. Instead of leaving your HVAC system on while you're away, you can run the fan to keep the house from getting stuffy. A programmable or a smart thermostat allows you to schedule your fan to run for a set number of hours.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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