We are all thankful to have our furnaces keeping us warm at this time of year, but your heating system could be doing even more to keep you comfortable this winter. There are two furnace fan settings on your thermostat, on and auto, and each one has a list of pros and cons.
What do the settings mean?
Before we get into the specifics, it’s important to understand what the different settings mean. Your furnace is responsible for generating heat, and the blower fan is responsible for dispersing that heat throughout your home. When you set the fan to the “On” mode on your thermostat, it means the fan will run constantly and circulate the air in your home whether your furnace is in a heating cycle or not. Alternately, when you change the setting to “Auto,” the fan will only run if your furnace is performing a heating (or cooling) cycle, and the fan will shut off when it is done.
The “On” Setting
Setting your furnace fan to “On” can benefit your home’s air quality in many ways. Having the fan constantly running means that you will receive a more even distribution of warm air throughout your home. It also means that more dust and debris will be removed from the air because it is passing through the filter more frequently, which leads to improved air quality. Running the fan continuously can also reduce the cycles the furnace runs in heat mode as the warm air that typically settles near the ceiling is circulated throughout the entire house.
The “Auto” Setting
With today’s advanced ECM blowers in many furnaces, there is very little benefit to running your fan in the auto mode. Unless it’s a window’s open type of day, it’s usually recommended by most manufacturers and HVAC professionals to run the fan in the “on” position for the best overall comfort and performance.
Have other questions and concerns about your heating system?
Contact Delta for expert advice and solutions!
Delta Air Systems Ltd. has been serving the HVAC needs of the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph regions for over 65 years. Our certified technicians are to help you, no matter the season, with reliable service and dependable equipment.
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