When the weather is cooling off, you might be wondering about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely add up to a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they can use to improve efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting provide for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through what exactly the fan setting is and how you can use it to reduce costs over the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For most thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the system’s blower fan stays on. A few furnaces will operate at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will start the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off after the cycle is finished.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort needs.

Advantages to trying 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 will be highest as continuous airflow will keep moving airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you might prevent the need for furnace repair.

Downsides to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan will likely increase your energy costs by a small margin.
  • Constant airflow can clog your air filter up more quickly, 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

In the summer, warm air can linger in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system might pull this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to run longer to preserve the desired temperature. In extreme heat, this can result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear gets worse.

The reverse can take place over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually flow into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on may 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 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 be ideal for you if:

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

Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Lots of homes deal with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help lessen these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s airflow.