What should my Thermostat Fan Be Set to? Bartlett Heating and Air Has the Answer.

During the heat and the cold, it is obvious what you should set your thermostat to. During those in between times when you don’t need to have the heat or the AC on, what should you have your thermostats fan set to? The thermostat fan typically has two settings, “auto” and “on”. Here are some advantages and disadvantages to both. When you have the thermostat fan on “on” you will have better distribution of air. It acts as a filter in your home since it is always running. You end up getting more life out of your system because it’s not constantly starting and stopping which stresses the system out. On the other hand if you run the fan “on” all day you will increase your energy bills and end up spending more money each month. You filter ends up filling up more often than normal so it will need to be changed more often. If the filter isn’t changed in a timely manner you can end up with big repair bills. If you run the fan during the cold season, the home feels colder even if it is not. There are some advantages to having your thermostat fan set to “auto”. Auto will make the fan turn on only when it receives that it needs to from the furnace. Energy is saved when you have the fan on auto because it is not running constantly. That means you pay less on your bill each month. You filters stay cleaner longer so that means less changes and chances of it getting clogged. The two disadvantages of the auto setting is the system will start and stop a lot which can wear it out earlier than needed. Air also isn’t distributed as evenly though the home as it is on the “on” position. You can see that there are advantages and disadvantages to both “on” and “auto”. Which one you choose to use will be based on which of the points listed are more important to you such as saving money on your energy bill, or if you want more evenly distributed airflow. Bartlett Heating and Air can answer any of your HVAC questions and issues so call us today!