When the weather begins to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs frequently add up to a big chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some owners take a closer look at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

Most thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a normal cycle, what can the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through precisely what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to cut costs during the summer or winter.

What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For most thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the system’s blower fan remains on. A few furnaces can operate at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off after the cycle is over.

There are advantages and disadvantages to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort needs.

Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by allowing the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality will be highest as continuous airflow will keep moving airborne pollutants through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you could minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan could increase your energy costs somewhat.
  • Nonstop airflow could clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, 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 persist in unfinished spaces including 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 run longer to keep up with the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this can result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can happen in the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may draw 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 try the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could be ideal for you if:

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

Your home has hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help limit these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.