Running furnace fan to increase airflow?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

burnt03

Feeling the Heat
Oct 30, 2011
264
Peachland, BC, Canada
Have my stove in the basement and this time of year (just above freezing) it works fine to keep the entire house comfortable and I find I don’t run the forced air furnace at all.

Question being, is it a good idea to run just the fan once in a while to get the interior air circulating and running through the filter?
 
Does your ductwork run through any unconditioned space?

The filter is there to protect the furnace, not to clean the air
 
It depends if your furnace is set up for that. I had a variable speed furnace installed so I could do just what you are talking about
 
there are thermostats that are made to do just what you want. i think it's a honeywell. when i find it i will post it.
 
Be sure you're not creating a negative pressure situation in the stove room. Pulling CO back into the house.
 
When we did the remodel in 2009 we added forced air heating with heat strips and a heat pump. The HVAC company suggested we run the blower only to circulate the heat from the BK. We did, but it only circulated the money from my pocket to the utility company's pocket. We have not run the fan since that first few months, as there was no appreciable difference in heat circulation, only in money circulation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fbelec
Should not cost a whole lot to just run the circulation fan on the furnace especially if you have the option of variable speed