As the weather begins to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs frequently add up to a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to reduce costs, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they could use to improve efficiency?

Most thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a typical cycle, what does the fan setting provide for an HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to save money in the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan stays on. Certain furnaces will operate at a low level in 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 shut it off when the cycle is finished.

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

Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by enabling the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality will be highest as constant airflow will keep passing airborne particles through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is often connected to the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could increase your energy costs slightly.
  • Constant airflow can clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you should 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 will sometimes persist in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to keep up with the desired temperature. In serious heat, this may lead to needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear gets worse.

The opposite can happen during the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which may eventually flow into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on could draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to determine 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 best for you if:

Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and similar 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 experiences hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with difficult hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help minimize these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.