When the weather is cooling off, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills frequently add up to a large chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some people look closer 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 going during a regular cycle, what can the fan setting provide for your HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll share just what the fan setting is and when you can use it to cut costs during the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting means that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces may continue to operate at a low level with this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off once the cycle is finished.

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 trying the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more balanced by permitting the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality should improve because steady airflow will keep moving airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is typically a component of the furnace, this means you could minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Downsides to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan will likely increase your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Nonstop airflow can 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 Each Season

Through the summer, warm air may persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to maintain the desired temperature. In serious heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear gets worse.

The opposite can take place in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may pull 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 will vary. 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 tough on the family. Leaving the fan on can help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home experiences 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 can help minimize these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.