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 can make up a significant piece of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

The majority of 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 when you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting means that the HVAC blower fan remains on. A few furnaces can operate at a low level with this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will run the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off when the cycle is finished.

There are benefits and drawbacks to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and whether you do or don’t {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort preferences.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in each room more consistent by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve since constant airflow will keep moving airborne pollutants through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps expand 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.

Disadvantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan can add to your energy bills slightly.
  • Nonstop airflow could 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 Summer/Winter

During the summer, warm air may stick around in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system may pull this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the desired temperature. In extreme heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can happen over the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually flow into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on will sometimes pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to determine 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 may 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 can help to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes deal with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help limit these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s supply of air.