When the weather begins to cool off, you might be thinking about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely add up to a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some homeowners look closely at their thermostat. Is there a setting they can use to improve efficiency?

The majority of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a regular cycle, what will the fan setting provide for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share just what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to reduce costs in the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the air handler’s blower fan stays on. A few furnaces can run at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off once the cycle is complete.

There are pros and cons to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort needs.

Advantages to trying the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in each room more balanced by enabling the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality should improve since steady airflow will keep forcing airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is typically connected to the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.

Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan could raise your energy expenses by a small margin.
  • Continuous airflow could clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you’ll need to replace it.

{Choosing Between|Should My Thermostat Be on|Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Each Season

Through the summer, warm air may linger in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work more to keep up with the set temperature. In extreme heat, this may result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear increases.

The reverse can occur in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually make its way into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running may pull 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, don’t forget 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 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 stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.