When the weather starts to cool off, you are probably wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely add up to a big chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some people take a closer look at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they can use to improve efficiency?

The majority of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll review precisely what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to cut costs in the summer or winter.

What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan stays on. Some furnaces can run at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will start the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off when the cycle is complete.

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

Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by enabling the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality should improve since steady airflow will keep passing airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps lengthen its life span. Since the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you could prevent the need for furnace repair.

Disadvantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan can raise your energy bills by a small margin.
  • 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 Each Season

In the summer, warm air may persist in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the set temperature. In serious heat, this may lead to needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can take place over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually make its way into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay 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 work for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be tough on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help limit these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s airflow.