When the weather is cooling off, you are probably thinking about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely contribute a significant chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some homeowners look closely at their thermostat. Is there a setting they can use to increase efficiency?

Most thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a typical cycle, what does the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll walk through what exactly the fan setting is and how you can use it to cut costs during the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For most thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the air handler’s blower fan remains on. Certain furnaces will generate heat at a low level with this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off when the cycle is over.

There are benefits and drawbacks to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort requirements.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in each room more balanced by enabling the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase because continuous airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is often connected to the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan could add to your energy expenses by a small margin.
  • Nonstop 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

Through the summer, warm air may persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the set temperature. In extreme heat, this could result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can happen in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on may pull 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 switch to the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. 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 should help to improve 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 lessen these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s airflow.