Once the weather begins to cool off, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs routinely contribute a big portion of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to reduce costs, some people look closely at their thermostat. Is there a setting they could use to increase 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 provide for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through just what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to save money during the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan stays on. A few furnaces can generate heat at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will start the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off when 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 unique comfort preferences.

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more uniform by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality can increase since steady airflow will keep forcing 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 minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Downsides to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan can raise your energy bills slightly.
  • Constant airflow could 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 Each Season

Through the summer, warm air can stick around in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work harder to maintain the preferred temperature. In serious heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear gets worse.

The reverse can happen during the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan running may draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to remain warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should try the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs are not the same. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on may work 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 can help to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Many homes deal with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.