When you’re setting your thermostat for the warmer months, there’s a specific thermostat setting you should pay attention to. The “on” or “auto” fan setting is one that confuses many people, but choosing the right setting can make a real difference.
Curious about what that thermostat setting does? It’s pretty simple: it controls whether your HVAC system’s fan runs all the time or just when the system is cooling/heating your home.
Why are there two options? Because each choice has positives and negatives. Let’s break them down:
“On” Benefits:
- Better temperature control. Because the fan runs all the time, cooled air moves throughout the house instead of getting trapped in some rooms while never reaching others.
- Cleaner air. Whether you have a traditional air filter or a UV air filtration system, they only work when air is moving through them. If the fan is always working, it’s always pulling air through the filtration system.
- Less wear on the fan. Just like your car gets less wear on the highway than in start-and-stop traffic, your fan gets less wear when it doesn’t have to stop and start up again.
“Auto” Benefits:
- Less energy use. When the fan stops periodically, it doesn’t draw as much energy as when it’s running all the time.
- Fewer filter changes. Filters get dirtier and have to be replaced more often when they’re being used more. This is good for your air but not so great for your budget.
The negatives for each thermostat setting are basically the opposites of the pluses: “on” costs more, “auto” gives you less temperature control and air filtration.
Which setting you choose depends on what you want to get out of your HVAC system. For many people, the cost savings of the “auto” setting are worth any negatives. If you have family members with breathing problems, or your home has humidity issues when the temperature isn’t kept constant, the “on” setting may be better for you.
Want more information on the best thermostat setting for your Indianapolis area home? Contact Mowery Heating, Plumbing, and Cooling today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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