If your plan is to keep cool without increasing your energy bills, you’ll likely count on your ceiling fan a lot this summer. A well-known approach is to run a fan without AC until it gets very hot, then shut the fan off and use the air conditioner instead. This is a mistake! Operating the ceiling fan and air conditioner in unison is the best way to optimize comfort and energy savings.
It may seem redundant to try two cooling methods together, but fans make your air conditioner more powerful. Follow these five tips to help you get the most from your cooling system this summer.
Install a Ceiling Fan
First off—if you don’t already have ceiling fans throughout your home, think about installing some. You should have the ability to switch out any light fixture in the heart of the room for a quiet, reliable and eye-catching ceiling fan.
Keep in mind that ceiling fans work best when the blades sit seven to nine feet above the floor, 10 to 12 inches from the ceiling, and at least 18 inches from the walls. This means your ceilings should be at least eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings will not benefit the way rooms with lower ceilings will.
As you may imagine, longer fans can move more air than smaller ones. Get a 36- to 44-inch diameter fan for rooms approximately 225 square feet and 52-inch fans for bigger rooms. You can also install multiple fans in a row to cool rooms longer than 18 feet.
Check the Fan’s Direction
Ceiling fans can work in both directions. Ensure yours is ready to spin counterclockwise during summer. This pushes air back down to make the breeze seem more apparent.
If you’re not sure whether the fan is turning the right way, flip it on and stand right beneath it. If the breeze seems low for how fast the blades are rotating, you probably need to reverse the direction.
Some fans have a remote control, in particular if they’re fitted on a vaulted ceiling. Look for a button on the remote to change the direction. If your fan doesn’t use a remote, feel around the motor housing for a reversing switch.
Ceiling fans can rotate both ways because pushing the air upward is useful for cutting down heating bills in the winter. So when the seasons change, set your fan to turn clockwise and run it on low to disperse warm air near the ceiling back to the living room without creating a breeze. This technique is particularly useful in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings.
Turn Up the Thermostat
You should adjust the thermostat to enjoy energy savings from running a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t stress over feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect created by turning on a ceiling fan makes the room feel up to 4 degrees cooler. This concept, which can make winter conditions particularly bad, is the answer to home comfort and energy savings during the summer.
If you usually keep your house around 75 degrees, think about readjusting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to make up for the wind chill effect made by using a ceiling fan. Then, adjust your outfit to boost your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season enables you to optimize comfort while minimizing cooling costs.
Turn Off the Fans in Empty Areas
It’s a widespread belief that ceiling fans bring down the temperature in a room. Sure, they make you feel cooler, but all they do is shift air around. As a result, there’s never a reason to keep a ceiling fan on in an unoccupied room. Fans might cost pennies on the dollar to run as opposed to AC systems, but every little bit counts, so turn off the fan if you’re the last person to leave the room.
Watch Your Energy Savings Grow
If you adhere to the tips shown above, you will recognize a decrease in your air conditioning expenses for the rest of the summer. After all, you can save up to 3 percent on your cooling costs for each degree you adjust the thermostat. And by using the wind chill effect produced by the ceiling fan, you can experience savings without sacrificing comfort.
Keep Cool with Help from All American Air Service Experts
Simply, you shouldn’t overlook the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort during summer! If you want air conditioning services sometime soon, turn to All American Air Service Experts to solve your problem fast. Our technicians can help your air conditioner work as proficiently as possible, ensuring it works along with your ceiling fans to keep your home and family comfortable for less. Contact us today to request an appointment with the HVAC pros at All American Air Service Experts.