The air conditioning system in your Anoka, MN home has many features that can impact your comfort level and how efficient your cooling process is. There is a Fan setting on your thermostat, and you can use this mode to activate the air conditioner’s blower fan without turning on its compressor.
This feature is often misunderstood or used incorrectly. That’s why our team at Liberty Comfort Systems is here to clarify when you should and should not use your fan mode.
Understanding Your AC’s Fan Mode
The process of cooling air using your AC equipment draws warm air over your evaporator coils, cooling it and dehumidifying it. When this happens, your fan will usually be set to Auto. When you turn on the Fan mode on your thermostat, your HVAC system will circulate air without cooling it. This can be beneficial if you’re looking to circulate the air in your home to promote healthy indoor air quality or a consistent temperature. It’s beneficial if you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, but you don’t need to cool your home any further.
What Happens Behind the Scenes
When you turn on your AC system’s Fan mode, the fan will draw in air from your home and push it through your filter. This removes particulate matter such as dust and pet dander. Air will then circulate back out of your vents and into your living spaces.
While this process can slightly change the temperature in your home by circulating already cooled air, there won’t be enough of a difference to make you comfortable. Because of this, the process of running your AC in Fan mode isn’t beneficial for extremely hot days when you want to achieve a cool indoor environment.
The Benefits of Using Your AC’s Fan Mode
Not using your AC system’s compressor when operating in Fan mode results in less wear and tear on the mechanical components of your system. This can reduce AC repair costs and extend its life expectancy. There are other benefits to consider as well.
Energy Efficiency Benefits
Also, Fan mode uses less energy. Running your AC system with the compressor requires anywhere from 1,000 to 4,500 watts. The Fan mode requires only about 60 to 150 watts. You should see a noticeable difference in your monthly energy bills when you utilize your fan at the right times. In the early morning or late evening when temperatures aren’t extreme, try running your air conditioner in Fan mode to circulate cool air that comes in when you open your windows.
Home Comfort Preferences
Achieving optimal comfort is possible when you use your air conditioner’s Fan mode. Not running your AC fan or compressor at all can result in stagnant and stuffy air. This can make your home feel warmer than it is, especially if you’re finding hot spots. Promoting a gentle breeze as air circulates can help you sleep better at night and make you feel more comfortable during the day. You can still use your compressor to generate cooler air, but you will have less of a need for this.
Removing Bad Smells
If you’re noticing musty odors or lingering smells from cooking, running your AC fan can help. Air will circulate through your HVAC filter, which can remove odors if you are using a filter with activated carbon filtration. Also, Fan mode can promote the evaporation of moisture, which has the potential to hold onto particulate matter, improving indoor air quality.
Using Your Air Conditioner in Fan Mode
While there are several benefits of using your AC’s Fan mode, there are other considerations that impact its effectiveness. This includes when and how you use it.
The Time of Day
The best time of day to use your Fan mode is early in the morning or late in the evening. This is when temperatures are at their lowest point and there isn’t as dramatic a difference between the temperatures indoors and outside. When you switch to Fan mode at these times, you can maintain a comfortable home interior without overusing your cooling system. Running your AC’s fan in the middle of the hot afternoon can make it circulate warm, stuffy air. This may not do enough to keep you comfortable.
Saving Energy and Money
If you’re on a tight budget for the time being but want to promote healthy and comfortable indoor air quality, you can use your AC’s Fan mode. If you have a smart thermostat, you may have the ability to program the fan to run at specific times without the need for making manual changes. This is ideal on days when the outdoor temperature is warm but not extreme. Running your air conditioner in Fan mode is a great way to supplement cooling without activating the compressor. That little bit of airflow is often enough to make your body feel cooler without decreasing your indoor temperature.
On High Pollen Days
If the pollen levels outside are high, and you’re experiencing allergy symptoms, running your air conditioner’s fan can help eliminate any allergens inside. This protects your indoor air quality and can help you achieve relief from outdoor triggers. You’re not drawing air in from the outdoors, so you don’t have to worry about bringing pollen in.
With Other Home Systems
You may be able to use your AC’s Fan mode with other home smart systems to support healthy indoor air quality and save money. If you have whole-home air filtration equipment, and smart data reports indicate particulate matter levels are high, use your fan to reduce the need to run your filtration equipment.
Considering Indoor Humidity Levels
Because running your AC in Fan mode doesn’t result in the removal of moisture from your indoor air, you may find that your residence feels damp or stuffy at times. You should always maintain a level of relative humidity between 30% and 50% to prevent the growth of mold and keep you and everyone else in your home comfortable. It’s not recommended that you use your AC’s Fan mode to control humidity. Rather, use the AC compressor or whole-home dehumidification equipment to bring levels back down.
Changing Your Filter
Because you’re running air through your HVAC system frequently, make sure to keep up with changing your filter. This should occur once every 30 to 90 days. This allows you to remove a substantial amount of particulate matter from your indoor air without allowing contaminants to accumulate in your ductwork or on the interior components of your HVAC equipment. This also promotes adequate airflow through your system, which protects sensitive components, reduces repair needs and promotes efficiency.
Liberty Comfort Systems is an expert air conditioning company that can can assist with the maintenance and use of your cooling system’s Fan mode. We can also inspect your air conditioner annually and provide repairs as needed to keep you comfortable in your home. We also offer a variety of indoor air quality services and whole-home humidity-controlling solutions.
Reach out to Liberty Comfort Systems in Anoka today for more information.
