When is it time to call in reinforcements for your home’s humidity issues? Watch this video for some advice on humidity control from Chuck. Head over to our Facebook page to watch the whole video.

Chuck and Steve discuss one of the questions we hear all the time: Should I set my HVAC system fan to the “ON” or “AUTO” setting on my thermostat?

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One of the questions we get all the time — why is furnace and AC maintenance so expensive? Chuck is here to explain why regular maintenance is important and how it might actually save you money in the end.

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Why the Auto function might not be the best option for your furnace fan

The next time you’re setting your thermostat, take a look at the fan option. Is it set to On or Auto? Turns out, there is a difference, and it could mean savings on your next energy bill. In fact, the Auto function might not be the best option for your furnace fan, depending on your comfort and efficiency goals.

What is the Auto function?

If you program the fan control on your thermostat to Auto, the fan will come on with a call for cooling or a call for heating. After the call for cooling or heating is satisfied, the fan will shut off.

The benefits of the Auto function:

When there is high humidity in the house during the summertime, the air conditioner coil is wet and, if you run the fan continuously, it will rehumidify the house. Those situations are rare and it’s usually when the air conditioner is considerably oversized for the house.

What is the On function?

The other option is to run the furnace fan continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The benefits of the On function:

There are many benefits to utilizing the On function. From a reliability and an energy-efficiency standpoint, leaving the fan on continuously is generally the best way to go. It keeps the air moving in a home, improves indoor air quality and helps to even out temperature swings, especially in two-story houses.

Busting the On function myths

Despite these benefits, people are likely more familiar with the myths associated with the On function.

Myth 1: If you run the fan continuously, it costs more money and uses more energy than the Auto function.

In reality, a motor takes a decent amount of energy to get it started, but once it’s running it doesn’t require much energy at all. The biggest use of electricity happens when the motor starts. If you let it run continuously, it will actually cost less than the Auto function when the furnace fan is turning on and off repeatedly throughout the day.

Myth 2: There is more wear and tear when the fan is run continuously.

The most wear happens to the motor during the starting process when there is a lot of torque on the motor.

Myth 3: Outside of energy and motor maintenance, it doesn’t really matter which function you use.

Lower energy costs and motor wear are great benefits of using the On function, but indoor air quality is another important factor to consider. When you let the furnace fan run continuously, there will be more air going through the furnace air filter. The filter’s job is to collect dust and other particles from the air. For high-efficiency filters, it’s even more important to keep the furnace fan running continuously.

Flipping the switch

These three myths can be debunked through customer education, and we train our Bell Brothers technicians and installation specialists to inform customers of the benefits of the On function of their thermostats. When homeowners do switch to the On function, they often report that their homes feel more comfortable and their heating and cooling costs are lower.

If you’d like to know more about which furnace fan function is best for your home comfort needs, contact us online.

Imagine never worrying about maintenance or replacement of your electronics, car or home — it sure would be great. Unfortunately, we know that’s not the case. Many items we own need to be maintained and eventually replaced. You probably replace your smartphone every two years and your car every five to 10 years, but your home’s heating and cooling system will last 17 to 20 years. For many homeowners, they only purchase one new system in their lifetime.

Every HVAC system won’t last 20 years on its own. Here are several contributing factors you need to know.

1. Location
   Living in Iowa, your air conditioner and furnace each only work three to six months of the year. Lower operating hours mean a longer life expectancy. Compare that to homes in the Southwestern United States that require air conditioning for more months of the year or northern states that require more heating throughout the year.
2. Maintenance
   We recommend one yearly tune-up for your air conditioner and one for your furnace. Lack of maintenance can take years off the life expectancy. Plus, the system could lose up to 40 percent efficiency, which means you’ll be paying more in energy bills.
3. Proper use
   It’s tempting to set the thermostat to 68 degrees on those sweltering summer days or 76 on those wicked winter nights. Unfortunately, setting it to the extreme is overworking the system, which will reduce its useful life. Also, if you turn your system on and off frequently, the engine is being overworked. On average, the unit runs 10 minutes before reaching peak efficiency.
4. Right-sized
   For years it was common practice to install a bigger unit than what was needed in homes. Now, HVAC professionals can find a unit that is right-sized to your home’s needs. If the unit is not properly sized, it’s most likely working too hard or too inefficiently, which can take time off its useful life.

Learn more: Effects of HVAC Equipment Price Hikes on Services

Here are two important reasons you need to know the life expectancy of your air conditioning unit.

1. Avoid health risks
   Continuing to use a system past its useful life runs the risk of a carbon monoxide leak. The odorless, colorless and tasteless gas can be deadly if not quickly detected.
2. Avoid a breakdown
   You may be thinking — if it’s not broke, why replace it? Knowing your system is at the end of its life can help you avoid an unexpected complete breakdown. Emergency replacements can be inconvenient to schedule and difficult to pay for (if you haven’t been saving up) and could leave your family without cooling or heating when Mother Nature is at her worst.

Learn more: Bell Brothers Installs Hybrid HVAC System for Waukee Homeowners

Imagine it’s the middle of August. There’s a streak of 90-degree days. Out of nowhere (or so it would appear), your air conditioning stops working. Not good. You’re left physically sweating while worrying about what’s wrong with your system.

Most likely, a professional will be able to fix your unit. There’s also a good chance routine maintenance could have prevented the breakdown. Ninety percent of calls we receive for breakdowns are due to lack of maintenance. Here are four things you can do to keep your system up and running.

 1. Replace the furnace filter

The furnace and air conditioner work together to keep your home comfortable. The air conditioner coil sits on top of your furnace. In order to keep it clean, you need to replace your furnace filter regularly. Standard 1-inch disposable filters should be changed monthly while high efficiency filters can be changed less often.

2. Clear debris from outside AC unit

An air conditioner includes an inside and outside unit. The outside unit needs proper airflow in order to work correctly. A standard rule you can follow is providing three feet of space around the unit and five feet above the unit for necessary airflow. It’s also important to keep debris such as leaves and branches away from the outside unit. The unit can suck in dirt, pollen, etc., which can plug the coil. A plugged coil is the No. 1 reason for loss of air conditioning. Do not hose down or brush off the coils. This could actually damage the unit or push the dirt and debris farther into the unit — making matters worse. Leave this for the professionals.

3. Schedule professional maintenance

We recommend an annual tune-up to ensure your air conditioner is working safely and efficiently. A technician will clean and inspect the components to make sure there are no damages or safety hazards. If not properly cleaned every year, your system could be losing up to 40 percent efficiency. You could actually save the cost of maintenance —or more — in energy savings. Having annual maintenance performed on your HVAC system also helps extend the life of your air conditioner and furnace.

Learn more: 4 Reasons Spring Is the Best Time to Replace Your AC System

4. Set at 74 to 76 degrees

The higher you can set the thermostat, the better. Many of us are guilty of overworking our air conditioner by setting it at 72 degrees or colder. The main job of your air conditioning system is actually to dehumidify your home — not cool the air inside it. During periods of high humidity or extreme temperatures, we recommend you do not set the thermostat back while you are not home, because the system will lose control over the humidity and temperature. It then has to work harder when you return to reduce the humidity. Keeping your unit from overworking will reduce wear and tear and prolong its life.