Once the weather starts to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely make up a big chunk of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some owners look closely at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they should use to improve efficiency?

The majority of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what can the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll share what exactly the fan setting is and how you can use it to save money over the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the air handler’s blower fan stays on. A few furnaces will run at a low level in this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off once the cycle is over.

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

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more balanced by permitting the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality can increase as constant airflow will keep forcing airborne pollutants through the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is typically a component of the furnace, this means you can avoid needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A constant fan can raise your energy bills slightly.
  • 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

During the summer, warm air may persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to preserve the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear grows.

The reverse can happen over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain 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 will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could work for you if:

Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be tough 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. All kinds 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 lessen these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.