When the weather is cooling off, you may be concerned about how you’ll take full advantage of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses can make up a large portion of your monthly electric bill. To figure out new ways to reduce costs, some owners look closely at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to increase efficiency?
The majority of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what will 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 reduce costs during the summer or winter.
Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?
For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting signifies that the HVAC blower fan keeps running. A few furnaces will generate heat at a low level with this setting, but in most cases 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 complete.
There are pros and cons to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort requirements.
Advantages to trying the Fan/On setting:
- You can keep the temperature in every room more balanced by allowing the fan to keep generating airflow.
- Indoor air quality can increase as steady airflow will keep forcing airborne contaminants into the air filter.
- A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps expand its life span. Since the air handler is often part of the furnace, this means you could prevent the need for furnace repair.
Drawbacks to utilizing the Fan/On setting:
- A nonstop fan will likely increase your energy bills slightly.
- Constant airflow can 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 may persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system might pull this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to work more to preserve the set temperature. In extreme heat, this can lead to needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.
The opposite can occur 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 pump 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 use the fan/on setting, remember that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on might work for you if:
Someone in your household has allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on should help to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.
Your home has hot and cold spots. All kinds of homes wrestle with persistent hot and cold spots that quickly return to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting can help limit these changes by consistently refreshing each room’s ventilation.