As the weather starts to cool off, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses can make up a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they can use to boost efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting provide for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review just what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to reduce costs over the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the system’s blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces may continue to generate heat at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off after the cycle is complete.

There are advantages and disadvantages to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your distinct comfort requirements.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in each room more balanced by allowing the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality should improve since constant airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is typically a component of the furnace, this means you can minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan can add to your energy bills somewhat.
  • Continuous airflow can clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, 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 Summer/Winter

Through the summer, warm air will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system may pull this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to keep up with the set temperature. In extreme heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can happen in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running could pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should switch to the fan/on setting, don’t forget 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 tough on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Many 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 lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.