When the weather starts to cool off, you might be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs routinely add up to a big portion of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Is there a setting they could use to boost efficiency?

The bulk 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 your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through what exactly the fan setting is and when you can use it to reduce costs over 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 remains on. A few furnaces will generate heat at a low level in this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will run the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off once the cycle is finished.

There are advantages and disadvantages to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort preferences.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by enabling the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality can increase as continuous airflow will keep passing airborne particles through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps expand its life span. Since the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you might prevent the need for furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely raise your energy expenses slightly.
  • Nonstop airflow may 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 Each Season

During the summer, warm air can linger in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system might pull this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the set temperature. In serious heat, this can result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear grows.

The reverse can happen during 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 draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to determine 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 could be best for you if:

Someone in your household has allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Lots 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 can help minimize these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s supply of air.