When the weather starts to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely make up a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to reduce costs, some owners take a closer look at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

The majority of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a normal cycle, what does the fan setting provide for an HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll share precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to save money during the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting means that the air handler’s blower fan stays on. Certain furnaces will run at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off after the cycle is finished.

There are benefits and drawbacks to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort requirements.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve since steady airflow will keep moving airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps lengthen its life span. Since the air handler is often a component of the furnace, this means you might prevent the need for furnace repair.

Drawbacks to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely raise your energy costs somewhat.
  • Constant airflow may clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you should replace it.

Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Each Season

During the summer, warm air can stick around in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to work more to keep up with the set temperature. In extreme heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear grows.

The reverse can occur in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually drift into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on will sometimes draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should use the fan/on setting, keep in mind that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be ideal for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on can help 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 might help lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.