When the weather is cooling off, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses can make up a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some owners look closer at their thermostat. Is there a setting they could use to improve efficiency?

Most thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a normal cycle, what can the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll share what exactly the fan setting is and whether you can use it to cut costs during the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the air handler’s blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces may continue to operate at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will turn on the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off once the cycle is finished.

There are pros and cons to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and whether you do or don’t {will|can|should]] depend on your distinct comfort requirements.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by permitting the fan to keep generating airflow.
  • Indoor air quality will be highest since continuous airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
  • A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is typically connected to the furnace, this means you might prevent the need for furnace repair.

Disadvantages to using the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely raise your energy bills slightly.
  • Nonstop airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, 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 may persist in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system may draw this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work more to preserve the preferred temperature. In extreme heat, this can result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear gets worse.

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

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should switch to the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be ideal for you if:

Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home deals with hot and cold spots. Lots 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 limit these changes by constantly refreshing each room’s ventilation.