Once the weather is cooling off, you may be thinking about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses frequently contribute a significant piece of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to save, some people look closer at their thermostat. Is there a setting they could use to boost efficiency?

Most thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a normal cycle, what does the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and when you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting means that the air handler’s blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces may continue to generate heat at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will run the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off when the cycle is complete.

There are benefits and drawbacks to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your distinct comfort needs.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by allowing the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase as continuous airflow will keep moving airborne pollutants into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps expand its life span. Because the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.

Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan can increase your energy costs somewhat.
  • Nonstop airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you should replace it.

{Choosing Between|Should My Thermostat Be on|Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter

During the summer, warm air will sometimes persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear gets worse.

The reverse can happen over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on will sometimes pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should switch to the fan/on setting, keep in mind that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could work for you if:

Someone in your household has allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes deal with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help lessen these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.