Well, that depends on what special factors you may have in your home.
PROS – Leaving Furnace/Central Air Fan Run 24/7
- Leaving that fan on 24/7 is great for cleansing allergens from the air and can help people with allergies
- Keeping the fan running can circulate the air if you have cold or hot spots, like a bedroom above a garage that may be colder in the winter.
- A constantly running fan will help equalize the temperature and air quality in the home
CONS??- Leaving Furnace/Central Air Fan Run 24/7
- Leaving the fan on constantly uses extra energy, which isn’t as good for the environment OR your utility bill
- A constantly running fan will can burn out the motor in a central air unit or furnace must faster than if the fan is left on auto
What we’re finding in the last couple of years are that newer furnaces are smaller but they move more CFMs (cubic feet per minute of forced air) than older furnaces. That means the motor in these furnaces works harder to move the higher volume of air through them. This is especially true if you are using an allergen filter, which is thicker and heavier and works the motor twice as hard to move air through it. This can lead to the motor burning out quicker if the fan is running constantly.
Another issue to watch for, if your filter is too tight, that also increases the amount of heat over the heat exchanger which brings it to its “high limit” because not enough cool air is able to move over the heat exchanger to cool it down. If your fan is running constantly, the heat exchanger never gets a chance to cool down either which can cause serious issues.
To be safe – unless you have a specific reason to keep the fan running constantly, just place your central air or furnace fan setting on auto. That will more than do the job, plus you’ll save on energy, utility bills and hopefully furnace/central air repair or replacement, and who doesn’t want that? Still not sure which is the best choice for you? Contact us at Wilbur Henry personally. We’re always happy to answer any questions.
For over 60 years we’ve been York County’s Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling specialists. Our team services Wrightsville, York City, Spring Grove, Fairview Township, Shrewsbury & everywhere in between!