When the weather begins to cool off, you may be wondering about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills frequently add up to a big piece of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to save, some homeowners look closely at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they could use to improve efficiency?

The majority of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a normal cycle, what can the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll walk through just what the fan setting is and how you can use it to save money in the summer or winter.

How Do I Access the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting means that the system’s blower fan keeps running. A few furnaces can run at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off when the cycle is over.

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

Advantages to trying 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 can increase since steady airflow will keep forcing airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps lengthen its life span. Since the air handler is typically a component of the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.

Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A nonstop fan could add to your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Nonstop airflow may clog your air filter up more quickly, 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 Each Season

In the summer, warm air will sometimes stick around in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system might pull this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to preserve the desired temperature. In severe heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear gets worse.

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

If you’re still trying to figure out 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 could work for you if:

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

Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Many homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help minimize these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.