diff --git a/esphome/components/climate/climate.cpp b/esphome/components/climate/climate.cpp
index 756051d6ce..dc83189692 100644
--- a/esphome/components/climate/climate.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/climate/climate.cpp
@@ -197,13 +197,12 @@ ClimateCall &ClimateCall::set_fan_mode(const char *custom_fan_mode) {
     }
   }
   // Find the matching pointer from traits
-  const auto &supported = this->parent_->get_traits().get_supported_custom_fan_modes();
-  for (const char *mode : supported) {
-    if (strcmp(mode, custom_fan_mode) == 0) {
-      this->custom_fan_mode_ = mode;
-      this->fan_mode_.reset();
-      return *this;
-    }
+  auto traits = this->parent_->get_traits();
+  const char *mode_ptr = traits.find_custom_fan_mode(custom_fan_mode);
+  if (mode_ptr != nullptr) {
+    this->custom_fan_mode_ = mode_ptr;
+    this->fan_mode_.reset();
+    return *this;
   }
   ESP_LOGW(TAG, "'%s' - Unrecognized fan mode %s", this->parent_->get_name().c_str(), custom_fan_mode);
   return *this;
diff --git a/esphome/components/climate/climate_traits.h b/esphome/components/climate/climate_traits.h
index 1d4d8b6097..e5171867d5 100644
--- a/esphome/components/climate/climate_traits.h
+++ b/esphome/components/climate/climate_traits.h
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@ class ClimateTraits {
   bool supports_custom_fan_mode(const std::string &custom_fan_mode) const {
     return this->supports_custom_fan_mode(custom_fan_mode.c_str());
   }
+  /// Find and return the matching custom fan mode pointer from supported modes, or nullptr if not found
+  const char *find_custom_fan_mode(const char *custom_fan_mode) const {
+    for (const char *mode : this->supported_custom_fan_modes_) {
+      if (strcmp(mode, custom_fan_mode) == 0)
+        return mode;
+    }
+    return nullptr;
+  }
 
   void set_supported_presets(ClimatePresetMask presets) { this->supported_presets_ = presets; }
   void add_supported_preset(ClimatePreset preset) { this->supported_presets_.insert(preset); }
@@ -174,6 +182,14 @@ class ClimateTraits {
   bool supports_custom_preset(const std::string &custom_preset) const {
     return this->supports_custom_preset(custom_preset.c_str());
   }
+  /// Find and return the matching custom preset pointer from supported presets, or nullptr if not found
+  const char *find_custom_preset(const char *custom_preset) const {
+    for (const char *preset : this->supported_custom_presets_) {
+      if (strcmp(preset, custom_preset) == 0)
+        return preset;
+    }
+    return nullptr;
+  }
 
   void set_supported_swing_modes(ClimateSwingModeMask modes) { this->supported_swing_modes_ = modes; }
   void add_supported_swing_mode(ClimateSwingMode mode) { this->supported_swing_modes_.insert(mode); }