Once the weather starts to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely add up to a large portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some people look closely at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to improve efficiency?

The bulk of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a typical cycle, what does the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll share just what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to reduce costs in the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the HVAC blower fan stays on. A few furnaces can operate at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will run the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off when the cycle is finished.

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

Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by allowing the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase because constant airflow will keep moving airborne pollutants through the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the system's fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is typically part of the furnace, this means you can avoid needing furnace repair.

Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan will likely add to your energy bills by a small margin.
  • Nonstop airflow may 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 Each Season

In the summer, warm air can stick around in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to preserve the desired temperature. In serious heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.

The reverse 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 could draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you should try the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might be ideal for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be tough on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home deals with hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s ventilation.