If your plan is to stay cool without spiking your energy bills, you’ll likely rely on your ceiling fan all the time this summer. A good strategy is to operate a fan without AC until it gets too hot, then shut the fan off and try the air conditioner in its place. This is a mistake! Operating the ceiling fan and air conditioner together is a great way to improve comfort and energy savings.
It might feel excessive to pursue two cooling methods at once, but fans make your air conditioner more powerful. Consider these five tips to help you get the most 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 some. You should have the opportunity to switch out any light fixture in the middle of the room for a quiet, efficient and stylish ceiling fan.
Don't forget that ceiling fans function best when the blades are 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 a minimum of eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings might not benefit the way rooms with lower ceilings will.
As you can imagine, bigger fans can move more air than smaller sized ones. Go for 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 line to cool rooms longer than 18 feet.
Check the Fan’s Direction
Ceiling fans can work in both directions. Verify yours is ready to spin counterclockwise during the summer. This drives air down to make the breeze seem more prominent.
If you’re unsure whether the fan is spinning the right way, turn it on and stay exactly below it. If the breeze appears low for how fast the blades are rotating, you probably need to change the direction.
Some fans have a remote control, usually if they’re put in on a vaulted ceiling. Search for a button on the remote to change the direction. If your fan doesn’t possess a remote, check the motor housing for a reversing switch.
Ceiling fans can spin both ways because moving the air upward is useful for reducing heating bills in the winter. So when the seasons change, set your fan to rotate clockwise and keep it on low to disperse warm air near the ceiling back to the living room without creating a breeze. This strategy is especially helpful in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings.
Turn Up the Thermostat
You should turn up the thermostat to enjoy energy savings from running a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t worry about feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect produced by running a ceiling fan makes the room seem around 4 degrees cooler. This strategy, which can make winter conditions miserable, is the answer to home comfort and energy savings for the summer.
If you usually keep your house around 75 degrees, try adjusting 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 enables you to maximize comfort while lowering cooling costs.
Shut Off the Fans in Empty Areas
It’s a widespread assumption that ceiling fans drop the temperature in a room. Sure, they make you feel cooler, but all they do is push air around. As a result, there’s no reason to keep a ceiling fan working in an unoccupied room. Fans will cost pennies on the dollar to run as opposed to air conditioners, but every little bit matters, so turn off the fan if you’re the last person to leave the room.
See Your Energy Savings Grow
If you adhere to the tips shown above, you could notice a drop in your air conditioning bills throughout the summer. After all, you can save nearly 3 percent on your cooling costs for every degree you adjust the thermostat. And by taking advantage of the wind chill effect formed by the ceiling fan, you can receive savings without losing out on comfort.
Keep Cool with Help from Knochelmann Service Experts
Clearly, you shouldn’t disregard the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort in summer! If you need air conditioning services sometime soon, choose Knochelmann Service Experts to resolve your problem fast. Our technicians can help your air conditioner run as efficiently as possible, ensuring it works together with your ceiling fans to keep your home and family comfortable for less. Contact us today to arrange an appointment with the HVAC pros at Knochelmann Service Experts.