As the weather begins to cool off, you may be wondering about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses frequently add up to a significant chunk of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to reduce costs, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

Most thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a normal cycle, what can the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll review just what the fan setting is and how you can use it to reduce costs over the summer or winter.

What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces may continue to run at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off after the cycle is finished.

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

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve as steady airflow will keep passing airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps extend its life span. As the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you could minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan can increase your energy bills slightly.
  • Constant airflow may clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you will want to replace it.

Should My Thermostat Be on Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter

During the summer, warm air can linger in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system might gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to run longer to preserve the set temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can happen during the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually make its way into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on may pump 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, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be ideal for you if:

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

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