As the weather is cooling off, you may be thinking about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely make up a large portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to lower their HVAC bill, some homeowners look closer at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they can use to improve efficiency?

The majority of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a normal cycle, what does the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to save money over the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For most thermostats, the fan setting means that the HVAC blower fan stays on. Some furnaces will run 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 run the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off once the cycle is complete.

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

Advantages to trying the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by permitting the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase because continuous airflow will keep passing airborne particles through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. Because the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you can minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan can raise your energy costs by a small margin.
  • Constant airflow may 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 linger in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system can gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to work harder to maintain the preferred temperature. In extreme heat, this can result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can take place during the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on could pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to decide if you should use 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 work 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 can help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Many homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help minimize these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.