Even in Florida, there are plenty of instances when you don’t need to run your air conditioner to keep your house cool. However, some homeowners wonder if they should (or could) still run their blower fan when their AC isn’t in operation. Some homeowners even believe it might make sense to keep the air conditioner fan on constantly.
This guide will help you better understand whether this is a good idea or not. If you’re not sure whether you should run your air conditioner fan when the air conditioner isn’t on, keep these points in mind.
It’s important to understand that the question “Should I run my blower fan without AC?” doesn’t have a simple yes or no answer. There are arguments to be made for running it - and for not running it.
On the one hand, running your heating and cooling fan even when the AC isn’t in operation helps to circulate the cool air throughout your home. Doing so distributes it evenly, ensuring consistent comfort.
It’s also worth noting that constantly turning the fan on and off can put your system through wear and tear. Over time, this may cause more frequent breakdowns. Excessive wear and tear may even reduce your system’s lifespan. So, you might try to avoid this by leaving the fan on.
Additionally, by circulating the air with the fan, you’ll often end up with cleaner, fresher air in your home. This is worth keeping in mind if you have allergies. While HVAC specialists don’t always recommend running the blower fan constantly, there are instances when doing so is key to staying as comfortable as possible. People with allergies benefit from living in a home with good indoor air quality.
That said, while there are clear reasons why you might want to run the heating and cooling fan all the time, there are also reasons why this may not be the best idea.
Saving money is one of the most obvious reasons to not keep the air conditioner fan on all the time. As you’ve probably guessed, when it’s continuously in operation, it uses up a lot of energy. As a result, you could pay hundreds of dollars more in energy bills each year than you otherwise would.
Some people make the mistake of assuming they’ll save money by running the fan without the AC when it’s warm out. While it is true that the fan alone uses less energy than the AC, leaving it on will almost certainly result in higher utility bills.
Running the fan constantly also increases your system’s maintenance needs. That’s because the more you run the fan, the faster your filter will get clogged. Although replacing the filter isn’t necessarily a very demanding task, you have to remember to stay on top of it vigilantly. A clogged filter forces a system to work harder to cool your home. This reduction in efficiency may cause your HVAC system to break down (and use more energy) if you don’t change the filter regularly.
In fact, always running the AC blower fan during the warmer months may result in more warm air entering your home. The fan can sometimes pull in warm and humid air from outside. On top of that, there are instances when warm air accumulates in the attic ducts. Running the fan can pull that air in as well.
The result? Your home will be uncomfortable, and you’ll feel the need to run your AC more often to counteract the effects. This puts extra strain on your system. Again, the more strain you put on your HVAC system, the less likely it is to stay in the best condition possible for as long as possible.
As you can see, there are reasons to run the blower fan without AC, but there are certainly reasons not to. You need to consider your preferences when deciding whether you should keep your fan on.
For instance, perhaps you have severe allergies. After keeping the fan constantly running for an extended period, you might find your comfort significantly increases. In this case, maybe it would be worth running the heating and cooling fan even when the air conditioner itself isn’t running. While you will likely pay more in bills over the year, the added comfort might be worth the cost.
On the other hand, maybe you find that running the fan often doesn’t have much of an effect on your comfort, and the added AC maintenance needs aren’t worth the minimal effect. Therefore, you would choose not to run your blower fan continuously.
Luckily, there are also other options to consider. Some innovative technologies now allow you to program your system so that the blower fan automatically turns on for a certain amount of time each hour. This might appeal to you if you’re trying to strike the right balance between leaving the fan on constantly and leaving it off because you’re too busy to turn it on and off. If you’re interested in these types of technologies, you can discuss the topic in greater detail with one of our AC specialists. They’ll help you better understand what your options are. They’ll also be happy to discuss the topic of leaving your fan on constantly in more detail, letting you know what’s best for your goals.
At Cool Today, serving homeowners throughout the Tampa Bay area, we believe it’s important to help our customers understand how their AC systems work. This is key to optimizing their efficiency and lifespan. Of course, sometimes these systems stop working, and sometimes they need replacing. When that happens, get in touch with us by calling (800) 226-2636. We offer 24-hour emergency AC repair service, ensuring someone is always on hand to help when your AC breaks down.
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