If the goal is to keep cool without racking up your energy bills, you’ll probably rely on your ceiling fan a lot this summer. A common strategy is to run a fan without AC until it gets really hot, then flip the fan off and use the air conditioner instead. This is a mistake! Operating the ceiling fan and air conditioner in unison is a great way to optimize comfort and energy savings.
It might seem unnecessary to use two cooling methods at once, but fans make your air conditioner more efficient. Follow these five tips to help you get more from your AC system this summer.
Install a Ceiling Fan
First—if you don’t already have ceiling fans throughout your home, look into installing some. You should be able to change out any light fixture in the center of the room for a quiet, effective and stylish ceiling fan.
Keep in mind that ceiling fans function 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 must be a minimum of eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings might not benefit the way rooms with lower ceilings will.
As you might imagine, bigger fans can move more air than smaller sized ones. Get a 36- to 44-inch diameter fan for rooms approximately 225 square feet and 52-inch fans for deeper rooms. You can also put in multiple fans in a row to cool rooms longer than 18 feet.
Check the Fan’s Direction
Ceiling fans can operate in both directions. Make sure yours is adjusted to spin counterclockwise during summer. This drives air back down to make the breeze feel more apparent.
If you’re uncertain whether your fan is turning the right way, switch it on and stay exactly below it. If the breeze appears weak for how fast the blades are spinning, you likely need to switch the direction.
Some fans have a remote control, especially if they’re installed on a vaulted ceiling. Check for a button on the remote to reverse the direction. If your fan doesn’t use a remote, feel around the motor housing for a reversing switch.
Ceiling fans can spin either way because moving the air upward is useful for lowering heating bills in the winter. So when the seasons change, adjust your fan to rotate clockwise and keep it on low to distribute warm air close to the ceiling back toward the living space without creating a breeze. This approach is especially beneficial in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings.
Adjust the Thermostat
You must adjust the thermostat to make the most of energy savings from running a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t concern yourself with feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect made by turning on a ceiling fan makes the room feel around 4 degrees cooler. This strategy, which can make winter weather miserable, is the answer to home comfort and energy savings during the summer.
If you usually keep your house around 75 degrees, try setting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to make up for the wind chill effect produced by using a ceiling fan. Then, modify your outfit to increase your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season enables you to improve comfort while lowering cooling costs.
Shut Off the Fans in Empty Areas
It’s a popular belief that ceiling fans reduce 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 moving in an unoccupied room. Fans will cost pennies on the dollar to use versus AC systems, but every little bit matters, so shut off the fan if you’re the last person to leave the room.
See Your Energy Savings Grow
If you follow the tips featured above, you could observe a drop 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 every degree you increase the thermostat. And by using the wind chill effect produced by the ceiling fan, you can receive savings without giving up comfort.
Keep Cool with Help from Atmostemp Service Experts
Clearly, you shouldn’t overlook the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort this summer! If you want air conditioning services sometime soon, check out Atmostemp Service Experts to resolve your problem fast. Our technicians can help your air conditioner perform as proficiently as possible, ensuring it works along with your ceiling fans to keep your home and family comfortable for less. Call us today to schedule an appointment with the HVAC pros at Atmostemp Service Experts.