When the weather is cooling off, you are probably thinking about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely make up a big piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some homeowners look closely at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to boost efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and how you can use it to reduce costs during the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the air handler’s blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces will run at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will run the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off after the cycle is finished.

There are benefits and drawbacks to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort needs.

Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by allowing the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase because constant airflow will keep moving airborne pollutants into the air filter.
  • Fewer start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps extend its life span. As the air handler is often a component of the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.

Drawbacks to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely raise your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Nonstop airflow could 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

In the summer, warm air may stick around in unfinished spaces like 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 work harder to maintain the set temperature. In extreme heat, this could result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can take place during the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually make its way into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on could pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should switch to the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could be ideal for you if:

Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and other 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. Many homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help minimize these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s ventilation.