6 Reasons Why Your Honeywell Air Purifier Fan Isn’t Working 

Dust buildup and clogged filters are the most common cause of a Honeywell air purifier fan not working. However, other factors including overheating, a broken fan motor, damaged wiring, or physical damage can also stop the fan from working in Honeywell air purifiers. 

Honeywell air purifiers use a rotating fan to draw the air into the system for filtration. The unit cannot function if the fan stops working, and any malfunction in the fan will need to be fixed before use. 

It makes it easier to know how the fan in your Honeywell air purifier works so that you can troubleshoot it properly and fix your broken fan quickly. Read on for everything you need to know to get your fan and air purifier working again.

How Honeywell Air Purifier Fans Should Work

Honeywell air purifiers have an electrical fan that is installed at the unit’s entrance (behind the grille). When the air purifier is switched on and connected to an electrical outlet (220-240V), the fan starts rotating, pulling surrounding contaminated air into the system.  

This air is passed through a series of filters and then sent back into the room.  

For the unit to purify the air smoothly, the fan must be functioning. In fact, the fan’s speed regulates the airflow and determines how quickly and effectively the system improves the room’s air quality.  

If the fan starts acting up, the incorrect airflow means the filtration is also inefficient. 

Reasons Why Your Honeywell Air Purifier Fan Has Stopped Working 

Here are all the different problems you should check if your Honeywell air purifier’s fan starts acting up (or has stopped completely): 

1. Saturated Filter 

Honeywell air purifiers have a series of filters, each of which removes, or inactivates a different kind of pollutant from the air. 

However, each of these filters needs to be maintained or replaced regularly to prevent them from becoming oversaturated. If they’re not cleaned regularly, the filters accumulate more contaminants than their capacity can handle.

This affects the system in two ways: 

1. The concentration of the pollutants increases within the purifier. This leads to dust, debris, molds, etc., to deposit on the other air purifier components, including the fan. This in turn negatively impacts these other parts, and can ultimately damage them. 
2. The inefficient purification places the purifier under stress, causing it to overheat. This affects the entire system and, as a result, causes the fan to fail.  

If your air purifier displays a solid red light, frequently overheats, or automatically shuts down a few minutes into operation, clogged filters are likely the reason. 

Fix 

Cleaning your filters will fix this issue, just follow these steps: 

• Turn the unit off, and detach the grille to access the filters. 
• Add a few drops of mild soap into lukewarm water, and use it to wash the ifD pre-filter. 
• Let the filter soak in it for 2-3 minutes before rinsing it with tap water. 
• Allow the filter to dry for 24 hours before installing it back. 

The ifD pre-filter should be cleaned every three months. 

Note that you should not use bleach, detergent, or volatile cleaning agents as they can damage the filter.  

The Honeywell air purifiers also have odor-removing, VOC reducing, and HEPA filters which should not be washed as water or detergents can ruin their filter media. They need to be replaced every 6 months to a year. 

2. Blockage 

Larger particles from the air can escape the filters and buildup elsewhere inside the air purifier. These larger debris or dust particles can collect directly on the fan, stopping it from being able to rotate.

This problem is easily noticed because the purifier usually makes a rattling sound during operation. You can also dismantle the system (it should be turned off and unplugged) and manually rotate the fan to check for a blockage.  

Fix 

Turn the air purifier off and disconnect it from the electrical supply. Then remove the dust particle, debris or buildup blocking the fan with a brush or cloth. This should get it working again.  

Here are some helpful tips when cleaning the unit: 

• Clean (ifD filter every three months) and replace (VOC reducing filter every three months and True HEPA filter annually) the filters regularly. 
• Disassemble the system and clean each of its components (fan, motor, housing) separately. You can use water to remove hardened buildup from the fan, but make sure to let it dry before placing it back. 
• Wipe the exterior with a clean, wet cloth. 

Remember to make sure that the air purifier is turned off and disconnected from the power supply to avoid accidents. 

3. Broken Fan Motor 

The electrical fan in Honeywell air purifiers needs a motor to operate. Any damage to the fan motor will cause it to stop working.  

Power outages, damaged electrical wiring, overheating, dust and debris buildup, and excessive corrosion are a few of the many reasons that can cause the fan motor to break. 

Depending on the root cause, when the motor breaks, you might notice an overly-heated air purifier body, rattling noise, or no air purification (despite the system being powered on).  

Fix 

The construction and wiring of a fan motor are complex, so unfortunately you will need an experienced technician to fix it.  

Since getting a new motor installed usually costs more than the entire air purifier, we would recommend getting a new air purifier, especially if you have had any other ongoing problems with your unit. 

4. Loose Fan 

The Honeywell air purifier fan can stop working due to loose set screws. If you have recently replaced the fan or the unit has been moved, or dropped, check for loose screws or a broken hub. 

Fix 

Disassemble the purifier and carefully tighten each screws. If the fan is loose due to a broken hub, contact customer service to fix it. 

5. Incorrect Wiring 

If you’re experiencing an issue with the fans working after recently cleaning the inside of your purifier it may be because of damage to the wires or electrical components.

Specific issues with electrical devices require the wiring to be adjusted or replaced. Sometimes problems in the wiring can also disconnect a particular part of the unit from the circuit.

This explains why the fan might not be turning, even though the air purifier is powered on and otherwise functional. 

Fix 

The air purifier will have to be disassembled entirely to fix the wiring. We recommend calling official Honeywell customer service to avoid any further problems in the system.  

6. Damaged Fan 

If your air purifier is old (been in use for more than three to five years) or has been recently moved or dropped, it might have caused wear and tear, or damage to your fan. 

Fix 

If your appliance is on warranty, we recommend you contact customer service for a replacement fan. However, if your purifier is older than three years we suggest simply replacing the purifier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My Honeywell Air Purifier Not Working? 

Honeywell air purifiers can stop working due to overheating, clogged or old filters, broken motor, poor maintenance, incorrect airflow or placement, and an incompatible electrical connection. A system reset may also be required after filter replacement or system repair to get the unit to work. 

If your air purifier is not turning on, shutting off during operation, or not filtering air, here is a list of potential causes you should check for: 

• Improper Airflow: Adequate airflow is essential for the air purifier to filter air. If the unit is not positioned correctly, i.e., in an open space, a few meters above the ground, it can prevent air purification. 

• Overheating: Overheating in the motor, fan, or any other components of the air purifier due to electrical issues or saturated filters can cause it to shut down.  

• Clogged Filters: Each filter has a particular capacity. If the filters are not cleaned or replaced on time, their clogged pores won’t be able to trap further impurities, and air filtration will not be efficient. 

• Poor Maintenance: Maintenance of Honeywell air purifiers involves regular cleaning and periodic filter changes, as well as the quick replacement of any damaged component. Irregular or poor maintenance eventually leads to problems, and the purifier malfunctioning. 

• Reset: After cleaning the system or replacing the filters, you need to reset the lights and controls of your Honeywell air purifier before using it. 

Quickly diagnosing and troubleshooting Honeywell air purifiers can restore them so they are working at their best, and also prevent secondary complications that may be expensive to fix. 

How To Use a Honeywell Air Purifier? 

All Honeywell air purifiers are simple to use and only require to be switched on to start working. The power button is used to turn the system on or off, and the ‘pre-filter’ and ‘check filter’ buttons are pressed to reset the unit.  

Honeywell features multiple air purifiers in its range. Here’s how to use them: 

Turn On/Turn Off 

All Honeywell air purifiers have a power button that should be pressed once to turn the unit on or off. Before switching the system on, make sure to connect its power cord to the 220V electrical supply. 

Filter Replacement 

Here’s how to change the different filters in Honeywell air purifiers: 

Odor and VOC Reducing Filter 

• Detach the rear grille. 
• Remove the securing plastic clips and take the filter out. 
• Place the new filter and press on the clips over it to secure its position.  
• Attach the grille. 

True HEPA Filter 

• Detach the rear grille and the pre-filters. 
• Remove the HEPA filter and replace it with an original Honeywell HEPA filter. 
• Reassemble the system. 

Reset 

Honeywell air purifiers do not have a reset button, but you can press the ‘pre-filter’ (twice within a second) and the ‘change filter’ (for two seconds until the light turns off) buttons when they are red to reset the system. 

The light will blink twice before turning off.  

Before the reset, make sure that the air purifier is connected to the power source and turned on.