When the weather starts to cool off, you might be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely add up to a significant chunk of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to lower their HVAC bill, some homeowners look closer at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they could use to increase efficiency?

The majority of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a regular cycle, what does the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and how you can use it to reduce costs in the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan remains on. A few furnaces will generate heat at a low level with this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will start the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off after the cycle is over.

There are advantages and disadvantages to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort requirements.

Advantages to using the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more uniform by allowing the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve since constant airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • Fewer start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps extend its life span. As the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you could avoid needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely add to your energy costs by a small margin.
  • Constant airflow can 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 Summer/Winter

Through the summer, warm air will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces like 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, compelling the HVAC system to run longer to keep up with the set temperature. In serious heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear gets worse.

The reverse can take place over 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 setting on will sometimes draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should use the fan/on setting, keep in mind that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might work for you if:

Someone in your household has allergies. Allergies and similar 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 experiences hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes wrestle with difficult hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help lessen these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s ventilation.