When the weather is cooling off, you may be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC expenses routinely make up a significant portion of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to save, some owners look closely at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to improve efficiency?
The majority of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what does the fan setting offer for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll review precisely what the fan setting is and whether you can use it to reduce costs over the summer or winter.
What Is the Fan Setting on My Thermostat?
For the bulk of thermostats, the fan setting means that the system’s blower fan remains on. Certain furnaces will operate at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will run the fan over a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off after the cycle is complete.
There are benefits and drawbacks to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your unique comfort preferences.
Advantages to using the Fan/On setting:
- You can keep the temperature in every room more uniform by enabling the fan to keep circulating air.
- Indoor air quality should improve as constant airflow will keep moving airborne particles into the air filter.
- Fewer start-stop cycles for the HVAC fan helps expand its life span. Since the air handler is often part of the furnace, this means you could minimize the risk of needing furnace repair.
Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:
- A constant fan can raise your energy costs by a small margin.
- Constant airflow could clog your air filter up more quickly, increasing the frequency you will want to replace it.
{Choosing Between|Should My Thermostat Be on|Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Each Season
During the summer, warm air can persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you leave the fan on, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, forcing the HVAC system to work more to preserve the set temperature. In serious heat, this may result in needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear gets worse.
The reverse can happen in the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on will sometimes draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to keep warm.
If you’re still trying to determine if you should use 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 could work for you if:
Someone in your household has allergies. Allergies and similar respiratory conditions can be stressful on the family. Leaving the fan on can help to increase indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.
Your home deals with hot and cold spots. Lots 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 consistently refreshing each room’s airflow.