When the weather starts to cool off, you might be thinking about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely make up a large portion of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some people take a closer look at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they can use to boost efficiency?
The bulk of thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting offer for your HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll share precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.
What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?
For most thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the HVAC blower fan remains on. A few furnaces will operate at a low level in this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will run the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off once the cycle is finished.
There are benefits and drawbacks to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort needs.
Advantages to switching to the Fan/On setting:
- You can keep the temperature in every room more uniform by permitting the fan to keep circulating air.
- Indoor air quality can increase since continuous airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants through the air filter.
- Fewer start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is typically part of the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.
Drawbacks to switching to the Fan/On setting:
- A continuous fan could raise your energy bills by a small margin.
- Constant airflow could clog your air filter soon, increasing the frequency you will want to replace it.
Should My Thermostat Be on Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter
Through the summer, warm air may stick around in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work harder to maintain the desired temperature. In extreme heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear increases.
The reverse can take place over the winter. Cooler spaces such as 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 remain warm.
If you’re still trying to figure out if you should switch to the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs are different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could work for you if:
Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on can help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.
Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help minimize these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s supply of air.