As the weather begins to cool off, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills frequently add up to a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some people look closer at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to increase efficiency?

The majority of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what can the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and when you can use it to cut costs in 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 air handler’s blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces may continue to operate at a low level in this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will run the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off when the cycle is complete.

There are benefits and drawbacks to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort requirements.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in each room more balanced by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve as constant airflow will keep passing airborne pollutants into the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is usually part of the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely increase your energy expenses by a small margin.
  • Nonstop airflow can clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you will want 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 will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system might gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to work more to preserve the preferred temperature. In serious heat, this can result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear gets worse.

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

If you’re still trying to decide if you should switch to the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be best 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 improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help limit these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s supply of air.