As the weather is cooling off, you might be wondering about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely make up a large portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to lower their HVAC bill, some owners look closely at their thermostat. Is there a setting they can use to boost efficiency?
The bulk of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting provide for an HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll walk through just what 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 most thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the HVAC blower fan remains on. A few furnaces may continue to generate heat at a low level with this setting, but for the most part heating or cooling isn’t being made. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off when the cycle is finished.
There are benefits and drawbacks to trying the fan setting on your thermostat, and what's ideal can depend on your distinct comfort requirements.
Advantages to using the Fan/On setting:
- You can keep the temperature in every room more uniform by permitting the fan to keep running.
- Indoor air quality can increase as constant airflow will keep forcing airborne particles through the air filter.
- A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you can avoid needing furnace repair.
Disadvantages to using the Fan/On setting:
- A constant fan will likely add to your energy costs slightly.
- Constant airflow could clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you should replace it.
Should My Thermostat Be on Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter
Through the summer, warm air can stick around in unfinished spaces like the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system might gradually move this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to preserve the desired temperature. In extreme heat, this can result in needing AC repair more regularly as wear and tear gets worse.
The reverse can happen over the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually flow into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on will sometimes pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.
If you’re still trying to determine if you should switch to 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 work for you if:
Someone in your household deals with allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.
Your home has hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes deal with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting should help minimize these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s airflow.