As the weather is cooling off, you are probably concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely contribute a significant piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to reduce costs, some homeowners look closer at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

Most thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review precisely what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to save money in the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the air handler’s blower fan remains on. A few furnaces will generate heat at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off when the cycle is over.

There are benefits and drawbacks to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and whether you do or don’t {will|can|should]] depend on your distinct comfort preferences.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more consistent by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality will be highest as constant airflow will keep passing airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps expand its life span. Because the air handler is typically a component of the furnace, this means you might minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan could increase your energy expenses somewhat.
  • Constant 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

In the summer, warm air will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the set temperature. In serious heat, this may lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can happen over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on could 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 use the fan/on setting, remember 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 other respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

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