Seasonal Settings: Should My Thermostat Be on Fan or Auto?

When the weather begins to cool off, you might be concerned about how you’ll prepare your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC costs routinely add up to a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to lower their HVAC bill, some owners take a closer look at their thermostat. Could there be a setting they could use to increase efficiency?

Most thermostats come with a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is on during a regular cycle, what will the fan setting provide for the HVAC system? This guide should help. We’ll share precisely what the fan setting is and when you can use it to cut costs over the summer or winter.

My Thermostat Has a Fan Setting?

For the majority of thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the system’s blower fan keeps running. Certain furnaces may continue to generate heat at a low level in this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being generated. The ‘Auto’ setting, conversely, will start the fan through a heating or cooling cycle and turn it off after the cycle is complete.

There are benefits and drawbacks to switching on the fan setting on your thermostat, and what’s ideal {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort requirements.

Advantages to trying the Fan/On setting:

• You can keep the temperature throughout your home more consistent by permitting the fan to keep circulating air.
• Indoor air quality will be highest since steady airflow will keep passing airborne particles through the air filter.
• A smaller amount of start-stop cycles for the system’s fan helps lengthen its life span. As the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.

Downsides to switching to the Fan/On setting:

• A nonstop fan can raise your energy costs by a small margin.
• Constant airflow can clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you’ll need to replace it.

{Choosing Between|Should My Thermostat Be on|Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter

Through the summer, warm air can persist in unfinished spaces including the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, compelling the HVAC system to work more to maintain the preferred temperature. In severe heat, this can result in needing AC repair more often as wear and tear grows.

The reverse can happen during the winter. Cooler spaces like a basement will hold onto cooler air, which will eventually drift into the rest of your home. Leaving the fan setting on could pump more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to decide 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 be best for you if:

Someone in your household has 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 deals with hot and cold spots. Lots of homes wrestle with stubborn 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 constantly refreshing each room’s supply of air.