As the weather starts to cool off, you are probably wondering about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs can contribute a big portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some people look closer at their thermostat. Is there a setting they could use to boost efficiency?

The majority of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a normal cycle, what can the fan setting provide for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through just what the fan setting is and when you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting means that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces can operate at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will run the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off once the cycle is finished.

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 personal comfort needs.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more uniform by enabling the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality can increase since continuous airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is typically part of the furnace, this means you could avoid needing furnace repair.

Downsides to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan can increase your energy costs somewhat.
  • Continuous airflow can clog your air filter up more quickly, 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 will sometimes persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to work more to maintain the set temperature. In extreme heat, this can result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear gets worse.

The reverse can occur during the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running will sometimes draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should try the fan/on setting, keep in mind that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be best 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 should help to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

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