As the weather is cooling off, you might be concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely contribute a significant chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to improve efficiency?

Most thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what does the fan setting provide for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and whether you can use it to save money 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 keeps running. A few furnaces can run at a low level with this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will run the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off when the cycle is over.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort requirements.

Advantages to trying the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in each room more consistent by permitting the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality can increase since constant airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps extend its life span. As the air handler is often part of the furnace, this means you can minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could raise your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Continuous airflow can 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

In the summer, warm air will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces including 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, pushing the HVAC system to run longer to maintain the desired temperature. In severe heat, this may lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can occur in 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 may draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should try the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could work for you if:

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

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help minimize these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s ventilation.