As the weather begins to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills frequently contribute a significant piece of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to save, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they should use to improve efficiency?

The majority of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a normal cycle, what can the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review just what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to save money over the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces will run at a low level with this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will run the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off after the cycle is complete.

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

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by enabling the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase because constant airflow will keep moving 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 a component of the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Downsides to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan can add to your energy expenses somewhat.
  • Constant airflow may clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you should replace it.

{Choosing Between|Should My Thermostat Be on|Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Each Season

During the summer, warm air will sometimes persist in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system may draw this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the set temperature. In severe heat, this could result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can happen in the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running will sometimes 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, keep in mind that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on may work for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on can help to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home deals with hot and cold spots. Many homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help limit these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s supply of air.