When the AC runs without the fan circulating air, it can eventually lead to the evaporator coils freezing over. Once this happens, your air conditioning unit is at risk of more serious damage. Turn the AC off and call an HVAC technician.
If the fan is not running it will not be able to remove the heat. This is a big no no, and you could fail the compressor and other components.
The fan only runs when the system is on and not continuously. There is better dehumidification in your home during the summer months. When your fan is set to AUTO, moisture from cold cooling coils can drip and be drained outside. If your fan runs continuously, moisture does not have a chance to drip outside.
They should not be left on all the time. Some of the more advanced thermostats might use the fan to better circulate the air post-AC or heat running or pre-cool the home a little by running the fan. But in normal operation, it only runs with the furnace or AC does.
Does The AC Fan Outside Always Run? The answer to this is no. The AC fan does not run non-stop. It's intended to cycle on and off, depending on the needs of the HVAC unit.
When the AC runs without the fan circulating air, it can eventually lead to the evaporator coils freezing over. Once this happens, your air conditioning unit is at risk of more serious damage. Turn the AC off and call an HVAC technician.
Air conditioning without an outdoor unit is called water cooled air conditioning, because it uses mains water to cool down the internal refrigerant, rather than outside air. This allows the system to be fully internal, as all of its components are located within the property.
Even with the AC off, running the fan helps circulate air. You might not need cooling, yet your house feels stuffy. Running the blower can increase ventilation without turning on the AC and consuming more electricity. That's if you don't keep the blower running for too long.
Your HVAC fan should turn on and off with the rest of your heating and cooling system. It's normal for the fan to kick on a couple of minutes before heating starts or to stay on for a couple of minutes after cooling stops, but your fan shouldn't run for hours on its own.
It only makes you FEEL cooler because it's moving air over your skin, carrying the heat away from your body. This is the wind chill factor you hear on the Weather Channel so often. So it's doing nothing to lower the temperature in your home, meaning your A/C will run just as long whether the fan is on or not.
Your blower motor circulates air through the furnace and can provide uniform temperatures. Many people leave their HVAC fan on all day, while others opt for two to three cycles per hour, ranging from ten to 25 minutes, depending on how close to heating or cooling temperatures they are.
Consequences of Running Your Air Conditioner 24 Hours a Day
Wasted energy: Running the AC to cool your home beyond your comfort level wastes energy and contributes to an increased carbon footprint. This is bad news for the environment and your energy bills.
If your AC is running but not cooling, it could be due to a dirty air filter, incorrect thermostat settings, a malfunctioning thermostat, a refrigerant leak, dirty condenser coils, blocked vents or ducts, a faulty compressor, frozen evaporator coils, or electrical issues.
Benefits of Using Ceiling Fans with Air Conditioning
Wind chill effect: While it doesn't actually lower the temperature, the breeze of a ceiling fan evaporates humidity from your skin and lowers body heat. Circulation: Ceiling fans help circulate the cold air from the AC for more even temperature distribution.
If you don't turn off the power to your AC, you run the risk of heating the unit's compressor past its limits as it attempts to cool your home without a functioning fan. If the fan doesn't start to spin on its own, it might be more than a bad start capacitor or contactor.
The average cost of a new condenser fan motor ranges between $300 and $700, depending on the model, your AC unit, and labor costs. While this isn't cheap, replacing your fan motors before they break can save you thousands of dollars in HVAC repair services.
Running the fan more often means air in your home circulates faster, leading to everything from more even temperature distribution to faster heating or cooling. Those who use this format find fewer issues with temperature imbalances between floors, for instance.
In general, wall and window air conditioning units with smaller capacities can typically run for up to eight hours at a time before they need to rest. Larger wall and window units have a longer running time of around 10 to 12 hours, depending on their cooling power.
The short answer: Definitely not. (Unless you have manually engaged your outside fan to run constantly, but it shouldn't be running for hours on it's own.) If your HVAC is functioning correctly, it should keep your house cool by cycling on for 15-20 minutes at a time—with distinct pauses in between each cycle.
As long as the outside temperature isn't too high, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, or a whole-house fan can help keep your home cool and comfortable without turning the air conditioner up to full blast; you may even be able to turn the air off and run only the fan to keep air moving.
Without the motion of the fans, the air will not be moved properly, and thus the until will not cool your home. The best way to keep your AC fan motor running properly is to ensure it gets regular maintenance and air conditioning repairs by a professional.
An outside AC fan not spinning could be caused by power supply issues, a faulty capacitor, a burnt out motor, contactor issues, wiring problems, debris or obstruction, a faulty thermostat or control board, or frozen evaporator coils. Contact your local Carrier dealer to help troubleshoot the issue further.
An air conditioner fan should never run constantly unless you manually switch it to this setting. However, if you do not have your thermostat's fan set to “on” and your air conditioner fan is still running, you may be experiencing a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.
In this case, the answer is easy: run your fans and air conditioning at the same time. The air movement from a ceiling fan helps to keep the air from stratifying into hot and cold regions. Therefore, you avoid the cold feet/hot head effect that can otherwise happen.
Reasons NOT to Run Your Air Conditioner Fan without AC
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.