Once the weather starts to cool off, you might be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs frequently add up to a large chunk of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some homeowners look closer 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 going during a regular cycle, what can the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share just what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to save money in the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting means that the HVAC blower fan stays on. Certain furnaces may continue to run at a low level in this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off when the cycle is finished.

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 preferences.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more balanced by allowing the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality will be highest since continuous airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps expand its life span. Because the air handler is typically connected to the furnace, this means you could prevent the need for furnace repair.

Disadvantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely increase your energy bills somewhat.
  • Constant airflow may clog your air filter soon, increasing the frequency you’ll need to replace it.

Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Each Season

During the summer, warm air may stick around in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the desired temperature. In serious heat, this may result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear grows.

The opposite can take place during the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running will sometimes pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to decide 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 might be ideal for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help lessen these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s supply of air.