When the weather begins to cool off, you may be concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills frequently contribute a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To learn new ways to save, some owners take a closer look at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they can use to boost efficiency?
Most thermostats include both a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a regular cycle, what will the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide can help. We’ll review what exactly the fan setting is and whether you can use it to reduce costs during the summer or winter.
What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?
For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan remains on. Certain furnaces may continue to 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 turn on the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and switch it off after the cycle is complete.
There are advantages and disadvantages to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and what's ideal can depend on your personal comfort requirements.
Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:
- You can keep the temperature throughout your home more balanced by enabling the fan to keep circulating air.
- Indoor air quality should improve because continuous airflow will keep forcing airborne particles through the air filter.
- Fewer start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is usually connected to the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.
Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:
- A constant fan will likely add to your energy costs by a small margin.
- Nonstop airflow may 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 such as 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 keep up with the set temperature. In extreme heat, this may result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear gets worse.
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. Keeping the fan on will sometimes pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay 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 different. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on could be ideal for you if:
Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to enhance indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.
Your home deals with hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes deal with persistent 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 consistently refreshing each room’s airflow.