When your furnace or air conditioner is running, it’s using the energy it receives from the thermostat to cool you and prepare you for winter. This includes running a fan to circulate air throughout your home.
This fan cannot be turned off by the thermostat, so if you are experiencing hot and cold spots in your home, this is happening. This is a normal part of preparing your home for winter and keeping you comfortable during the colder months.
If you are experiencing more fan noise than usual, then this is probably happening. Furnace fans create noise when they are running, but only when they are operating. When the door is open or if it is just being shut in sleep mode, then they are shutting off.
Contents:
Did you change the temperature setting?
If the above problem is too severe, you can try to change the temperature setting on your furnace. You can do this by going to the tempera- ture control feature on your furnace.
When this feature is off, your furnace will automatically set the temperature to 230 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain that temperature for 24 hours. This is called automatic control mode.
To turn automatic control mode on, you must first select Cool or Fan Control in the top left of your furnace. Once selected, you must then set a temperature setting before you can turn auto control mode on.
After that, you may change the fan or cooler speed settings or even switch speeds entirely based on what temperature setting you have selected.
Is the thermostat set to heat only?
If you are experiencing a furnace fan blowing constantly or repeatedly, then you may be setting the thermostat to only heat and leaving the furnace fan on. This can be problematic if you do not want the furnace to run because it is turning on the cooling fan every few minutes.
To turn off the cooling fan, all you have to do is set the thermostat to heat only and leave the cooling fan on. Or, use a second thermostat set to low power mode to prevent overheating of your heating system.
Making sure that your furnace has a reliable cycle time is another way to determine if this problem is caused by a short or why the furnace fan does not turn off. A quick look at your system shows if there are any signs of wear such as scorching or melting of pipes, fixtures, and appliances.
Is there an internal filter?
If you have a window-style or ceiling-mounted fan, you may be wondering if there is an internal filter to prevent air from being returned to the motor and heating up again.
There most definitely is! Fan motors are designed with a windows or ceiling mount style window or roof supply housing. This allows for proper airflow and removal of impurities that may cause melted parts or burning.
Motor replacement is a quick and easy service to take care of your fan. Most stores can do the job quickly, in about an hour or so.
However, before motor replacement, the motor must be cleaned and inspected.
Did you change the setting from cool to heat?
If the above mentioned problem is happening when you change the setting on your furnace fan, then you may have to take another look at the setting.
You may need to move up or down the heat settings to find the right temperature for your room!
This can be tricky if you do not have a clear view of the indicator display. There are specialized software apps that will help guide you that way.
If this happens to you, then try going with lower heat settings first to see if that works before moving up to higher settings.
Is there a blockage in the line?
If the fan is working well, there may be no need to replace the fan. However, if the fan is not working or is noisy, then you should check the fan.
There may be a blockage in the line which is the reason for poor airflow and noise. Such blockages include dryer lint, which builds up in a dryer bag as it dries, or hair that cannot escape a appliance such as a heated blanket.
To determine if a blocked air duct has caused your furnace to overeat or run constantly, look for signs of steam or watery discharge from your furnace. If you see either of these conditions, your unit needs to be evaluated quickly!
A thorough inspection can also determine if there are any replacement parts needed for your heating and cooling system.
Does it only happen when using a specific function?
No! There is nothing magical about this function. You can turn it off and on if you want to. It is just designed to be useful when your house is warm enough, so you can!
Does it only happen when the fan is running?
Nope! The fan can be turned off while in use to save on electricity.
Does it only happen during summer months?
No! This problem does not last for very long and goes away on its own within a few days.
Does it happen when using a specific fan speed?
Most central heating systems require a maximum fan speed of 20 or 30 percent. This is due to the fact that if you use a higher fan speed, your furnace will start spinning faster to meet the airflow.
The problem with this is that it will continue to run until it stops! There is no safe way to turn off your furnace without stopping the fan as well.
This is why having a low fan speed is better than no setting at all. You need to have some settings for safety in case your furnace goes offline for an extended period of time.
Have you checked the circuit breaker?
If your furnace fan is blowing constantly, then there may be a problem with the circuit breaker. A circuit breaker can prevent the electricity from flowing to the fan due to overcurrent protection.
If this is the case, you need to replace the breaker! It would be good to check both sides of the breaker as replacement can be difficult if one side is bad.
The amount of time your furnace fan stays on before turning off is what indicates how much power it has. A small fan that runs for only a short time on turn on may not require as much power to operate.
Have you checked to see if there are any filters or dust covers that could be preventing airflow? If so, they should be checked and replaced to ensure proper airflow and efficiency.
An efficient operation of your furnace will keep your home from breaking wind and avoid other problems such as thermostats or heaters going out of function.