Once 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 expenses routinely add up to a significant piece of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to save, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they can use to boost efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a normal cycle, what does the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share just what the fan setting is and how you can use it to reduce costs over the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the air handler’s blower fan stays on. Certain furnaces will operate at a low level with this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off once the cycle is finished.

There are pros and cons to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your distinct comfort needs.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve as continuous airflow will keep moving airborne particles into the air filter.
  • Fewer start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is typically a component of the furnace, this means you might minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could increase your energy costs somewhat.
  • Nonstop airflow can clog your air filter soon, 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 Summer/Winter

In the summer, warm air may linger in unfinished spaces like 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, forcing the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this may result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can take place in the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should switch to the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on may work for you if:

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

Your home deals with 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 steadily refreshing each room’s supply of air.