Once the weather is cooling off, you are probably concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs can make up a significant chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some people take a closer look at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to increase efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and when 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 HVAC blower fan stays on. A few furnaces may continue to operate at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off once the cycle is over.

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

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by allowing the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality can increase since steady airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps expand its life span. Because the air handler is often connected to the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Downsides to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could raise your energy bills slightly.
  • Constant 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

Through the summer, warm air may stick around in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the set temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can take place in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on could pump 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, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might work for you if:

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

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