When the weather begins to cool off, you may be thinking about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs routinely add up to a big chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to save, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to increase efficiency?

The majority of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a normal cycle, what does the fan setting provide for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share precisely what the fan setting is and how you can use it to cut costs in the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting means that the system’s blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces may continue to generate heat at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will start the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and turn 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 each room more uniform by enabling the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve as continuous airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • Fewer start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. Because the air handler is often part of the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan can add to your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Constant airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you will want to 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 will sometimes persist in unfinished spaces including 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, compelling the HVAC system to work more to preserve the set temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can take place in the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually make its way into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running could pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should switch to the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could be ideal for you if:

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

Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Lots of homes deal with persistent 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 supply of air.