As the weather starts to cool off, you might be thinking about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely make up a significant chunk of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to reduce costs, some people look closely at their thermostat. Maybe there’s a setting they can use to boost efficiency?
The bulk of thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is going during a typical cycle, what can the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll review just 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 the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces will operate at a low level in this setting, but in general heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, on the other hand, will turn on the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off after the cycle is over.
There are benefits and drawbacks to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort needs.
Advantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:
- You can keep the temperature in every room more consistent by allowing the fan to keep circulating air.
- Indoor air quality will be highest because steady airflow will keep forcing airborne particles into the air filter.
- A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. As the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you can prevent the need for furnace repair.
Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:
- A constant fan can add to your energy bills somewhat.
- Nonstop airflow could clog your air filter soon, increasing the frequency you’ll need to replace it.
Should My Thermostat Be on? Fan or Auto in Each Season
In the summer, warm air can persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you keep the fan running, your HVAC system may pull this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work more to maintain the preferred temperature. In serious heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.
The reverse can happen over the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually flow into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on may pull more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.
If you’re still trying to figure out if you should switch to 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 work for you if:
Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and similar 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 difficult hot and cold spots that quickly shift to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s ventilation.
