When the weather starts to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs frequently add up to a significant piece of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to save, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a regular cycle, what does the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review precisely what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the air handler’s blower fan stays on. Certain furnaces will run at a low level in this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off once 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 needs.

Advantages to trying 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 should improve because constant airflow will keep moving airborne pollutants through the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps extend its life span. As the air handler is typically connected to the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan will likely increase your energy bills slightly.
  • Continuous airflow could clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you’ll need to replace it.

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

In the summer, warm air may stick around in unfinished spaces like 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, compelling the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this could result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear gets worse.

The opposite can take place during 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 running could pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to decide if you should switch to the fan/on setting, don’t forget 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 has allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home deals with hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes deal with difficult hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help minimize these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.