When the weather is cooling off, you may be thinking about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses frequently make up a large chunk of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some owners take a closer look at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they could use to increase efficiency?

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

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting means that the system’s blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces may continue to operate at a low level with this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will run the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off after the cycle is over.

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

Advantages to trying 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 should improve as steady airflow will keep forcing airborne pollutants into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is often connected to the furnace, this means you might prevent the need for furnace repair.

Drawbacks to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could increase your energy expenses by a small margin.
  • Nonstop 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

During the summer, warm air will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces including 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 harder to maintain the desired temperature. In extreme heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can take place over the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on will sometimes draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out 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 other respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes deal with difficult hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help limit these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s airflow.