Did you know you could save a significant amount of money by using your ceiling and desk fans for the cheapest cooling effects? These simple air-moving fans can be very effective at cooling down rooms, especially with the right tricks. In fact, Energy Circle estimates that for every $167 you would pay for AC, you pay only $4 for using a simple ceiling fan. Here are some tips you will want to know in order to use such fans properly.
Fans create what is called "windchill" or the cool feeling on your skin when air blows past it. Pretty simple, right? But it's important to know that this only affects the way people feel. A fan cannot change the temperature that your thermostat reads unless it's moving cooler air in from somewhere else. But, even in a closed room, it can still make a big difference for comfort levels.
If you have a choice, go with ceiling fans. While more expensive, they are also larger and more effective at moving air around. Remember that hot air rises, so a ceiling fan is also more adept at pushing hot air out of a room at night. When choosing either type of fan, look for Energy Star rates and large, broad blades to get the most air movement for the least energy. If you choose a desk or window fan, using it in upper levels of your home tends to be more effective than using it in lower levels.
Energy.gov proposes raising your thermostat by around 4 degrees when using a fan. The windchill effect will help eliminate any apparent difference in temperature, while the higher thermostat setting can help ensure fans are the cheapest cooling option for the summer.
In summer, you want the air blowing down on you to feel the windchill, so make sure that air is blowing down on you. In winter, you don't want that windchill effect, so make sure that the air flow is moving up. There are switches on most fans for "up" and "down" air flow depending on which way the blades turn.
Are you in the Atlanta metro area and have need help with your home's air conditioning system? Give us a call! Ragsdale provides expert air conditioning repair, service and installation.
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