Winter is on its way, and it’s natural to want to keep the family warm and toasty as you feel that chill in the air. It’s time for the furnace to come out of its long hibernation!

But the change of weather leaves many families asking: “Should I continuously run my furnace in winter?” Let’s take a closer look at furnace settings and what they mean.

Should You Run Your Furnace Constantly?

There are two questions before you run your furnace continuously:

• Can the furnace handle the extra load?
• Is the system sized to keep up with the cold?

To get a definitive answer to the first question, it’s important to talk to an HVAC expert. Only a furnace technician can evaluate the health of your system. Before the worst of winter sets in, get the necessary repairs and adjustments so your furnace serves you well all season long!

The second question is crucial, not just for this winter but many to come. If you are running your furnace continuously, it may be too small to meet your needs. If it worked well in previous years, but now needs to run all the time, that points to a mechanical issue hindering efficiency.

If you have a newer furnace with a variable speed motor, it is usually fine to run it all the time. The motor adjusts its performance to temperature conditions, saving energy and money. If your furnace is 12 years old or more, running it constantly may accelerate wear and tear or even lead to system failure.

Consider bundling up during the day and running older systems at night.

Should You Set Your Furnace’s Fan to “Auto” or “On”?

Almost every furnace offers a separate fan control with two settings: Auto and on.

When the fan is set to auto, it turns on only when the system is heating air. When set to on, the fan runs even when the furnace is not actively heating. Some people enjoy this due to improved air circulation and more uniform temperatures in some homes.

Auto is the most efficient option, lowering your operating costs. It also extends the life of your furnace air filter and blower, which can keep repair bills down. During the winter, setting your furnace’s fan on can result in circulating more unwarmed air, so it is not usually recommended.