Does the Blower Speed on an HVAC Affect Condensation?

Increased Condensation Drained

• The faster the blower speed on an HVAC system, the more air passes across the copper coils of the air handler. Increasing the speed of your blower can hasten the circulation rate of air inside your home, and reduce the overall indoor humidity more rapidly. The byproduct of this is increased condensation on the air handler coils and increased condensate drained out of the system.

Condensation in Duct Work

• When faced with an issue involving condensation in the duct work, the problem may be a clogged filter causing a decrease in air circulation and hindering the blower. When the HVAC system cannot get sufficient air in through the filter, the cannot pass a sufficient amount of air across the coils and it begins blowing out humid air through the duct work. This not only leads to an uncomfortable, muggy home, but can lead to mold growth in the ducts.

Condensation at Registers

• Some homeowners will find that if they run their blower on medium or low, they wind up with condensation on their HVAC registers. This happens when the system is not being supplied with sufficient air flow to dehumidify the air before it passes through the air handler and is dispersed in the house. Increasing the speed of the blower can be all that is needed to fix a register condensation issue.

Air Circulation

• Your HVAC system is in a constant battle with the hot, humid outdoors. The slower you set your blower, the more likely it is that hot, humid air is leaking in through windows and doors at a faster rate than the HVAC system is cooling and dehumidifying. This can lead to an increase in condensation at all points in the system, and a decrease in condensation being drained to the outside by the condensation drain.