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

The bulk of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a regular cycle, what does the fan setting provide for your HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll review precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to save money over the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces can operate at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off when 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 personal comfort preferences.

Advantages to using the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by permitting the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality should improve because continuous airflow will keep moving airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps expand its life span. Since the air handler is often part of the furnace, this means you might prevent the need for furnace repair.

Downsides to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could add to your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Constant 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 Summer/Winter

In the summer, warm air may linger 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, compelling the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the preferred temperature. In serious heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can happen during 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 will sometimes pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay 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 different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on may be ideal for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be tough on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home deals with hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly shift 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.