If your idea is to keep cool without spiking your energy bills, you’ll certainly count on your ceiling fan a great deal this summer. A well-known technique is to use a fan without AC until it gets excessively hot, then switch the fan off and use the air conditioner in its place. This is a mistake! Running the ceiling fan and air conditioner in unison is a great way to maximize comfort and energy savings.
It may seem redundant to use two cooling methods simultaneously, but fans make your air conditioner more productive. Use these five tips to help you get more from your air conditioning system this summer.
Install a Ceiling Fan
First off—if you don’t already have ceiling fans throughout your home, consider installing a number of them. You should have the opportunity to change out any light fixture in the heart of the room for a quiet, reliable and fashionable ceiling fan.
Keep in mind that ceiling fans work best when the blades will be 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 have to be at least eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings might not benefit the way rooms with lower ceilings will.
As you can imagine, longer fans can propel more air than smaller ones. Opt for a 36- to 44-inch diameter fan for rooms as much as 225 square feet and 52-inch fans for larger rooms. You can also put in multiple fans in the same area to cool rooms longer than 18 feet.
Check the Fan’s Direction
Ceiling fans can work in both directions. Make sure yours is adjusted to spin counterclockwise during summer. This pushes air back down to make the breeze appear more obvious.
If you’re not sure whether your fan is spinning the right way, turn it on and stand straight below it. If the breeze feels weak for how fast the blades are rotating, you might need to reverse the direction.
Some fans have a remote control, particularly if they’re mounted on a vaulted ceiling. Look for a button on the remote to switch the direction. If your fan doesn’t have a remote, check the motor housing for a reversing switch.
Ceiling fans can spin in both directions because moving the air upward is useful for cutting down heating expenses in the winter. So when the seasons change, flip your fan to spin clockwise and keep it on low to distribute warm air toward the ceiling back to the living room without creating a breeze. This method is especially effective in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings.
Turn Up the Thermostat
You should turn up the thermostat to fully appreciate energy savings from using a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t stress over feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect produced by turning on a ceiling fan makes the room seem up to 4 degrees cooler. This principle, which can make winter conditions particularly bad, is the answer to home comfort and energy savings in the summer.
If you ordinarily keep your house about 75 degrees, consider readjusting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to compensate for the wind chill effect produced by using a ceiling fan. Then, change your outfit to enhance your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season permits you to optimize comfort while lowering cooling costs.
Shut Off the Fans in Unoccupied Areas
It’s a popular belief that ceiling fans bring down the temperature in the room. Yes, they make you feel cooler, but all they do is move air around. As a result, there’s not a good reason to keep a ceiling fan on in an unused room. Fans will cost pennies on the dollar to run as opposed to air conditioners, but every little bit matters, so shut off the fan if you’re the last person to leave the room.
Watch Your Energy Savings Grow
If you adhere to the tips laid out above, you should notice a drop in your air conditioning costs for the rest of the summer. After all, you can save as much as 3 percent on your cooling costs for every degree you adjust the thermostat. And by appreciating the wind chill effect formed by the ceiling fan, you can enjoy savings without losing out on comfort.
Keep Cool with Help from San Antonio Air Service Experts
Clearly, you shouldn’t underestimate the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort this summer! If you need air conditioning services sometime soon, look to San Antonio Air Service Experts to address your problem quickly. Our technicians can help your air conditioner work as effectively as possible, ensuring it works in tandem with your ceiling fans to keep your home and family comfortable for less. Call us today to request an appointment with the HVAC pros at San Antonio Air Service Experts.