When the weather begins to cool off, you might be wondering about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely add up to a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to boost efficiency?
Most thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what does the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll share what exactly the fan setting is and whether you can use it to save money over the summer or winter.
What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?
For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the system's blower fan keeps running. A few furnaces may continue to operate at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off when the cycle is complete.
There are pros and cons to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and what's ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort needs.
Advantages to using 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 because continuous airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
- A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the system's fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is usually part of the furnace, this means you could minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.
Downsides to utilizing the Fan/On setting:
- A nonstop fan can add to your energy costs slightly.
- Continuous airflow may clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you will want to replace it.
Should My Thermostat Be on Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter
During the summer, warm air will sometimes persist in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system may draw this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to preserve the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear gets worse.
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 may pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.
If you’re still trying to decide if you should try the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could be best for you if:
Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be tough on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.
Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with difficult hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help minimize these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s supply of air.