As the weather starts to cool off, you may be wondering about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely make up a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to save, some owners take a closer look at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to increase efficiency?

The majority of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a normal cycle, what does the fan setting provide for an HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll walk through precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to reduce costs during the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan remains on. Some furnaces will generate heat at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will start the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off once the cycle is over.

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

Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by allowing the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality should improve as steady airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • Fewer start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you could avoid needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan can raise your energy expenses by a small margin.
  • Constant airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, 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 Each Season

Through the summer, warm air may linger in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system can gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to run longer to preserve the desired temperature. In extreme heat, this may lead to needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can take place during the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually make its way into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on will sometimes pump 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 use the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. 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 hard on the family. Leaving the fan on can help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home deals with hot and cold spots. Lots 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 lessen these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s airflow.