Once the weather is cooling off, you may be thinking about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs can add up to a big portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to lower their HVAC bill, some people look closely at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to boost efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a regular cycle, what will the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review precisely what the fan setting is and how you can use it to save money over 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. Some furnaces can operate at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off once the cycle is over.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and whether you do or don’t {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort preferences.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by enabling the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality should improve as steady airflow will keep moving airborne contaminants into the air filter.
  • Fewer start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. Since the air handler is typically connected to the furnace, this means you could prevent the need for furnace repair.

Downsides to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan could raise your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Continuous airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, 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

During the summer, warm air may persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system may draw this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to maintain the desired temperature. In serious heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can occur over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should switch to the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be best for you if:

Someone in your household deals with 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 experiences 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 should help limit these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s airflow.