Once the weather begins to cool off, you might be wondering about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely add up to a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to save, some homeowners look closely at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they can use to increase efficiency?

Most thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting provide for your HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share precisely what the fan setting is and how you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting means that the air handler’s blower fan remains on. A few furnaces may continue to operate 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 run the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off once the cycle is complete.

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

Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more balanced by allowing the fan to keep circulating air.
  • Indoor air quality can increase because steady airflow will keep passing airborne contaminants into 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 usually part of the furnace, this means you can minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.

Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan could add to your energy bills slightly.
  • Nonstop airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you will want to replace it.

Should My Thermostat Be on? Fan or Auto in Each Season

During the summer, warm air can persist in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can draw this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the set temperature. In extreme heat, this could result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear grows.

The reverse can take place during the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on could pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.

If you’re still trying to determine if you should use 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 might be best 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 enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

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