After a long winter, the warm sun is a welcome change! But as the weather changes from warm to downright hot, sitting under a ceiling fan brings comfort and relief.
Ceiling fans can also increase the efficiency of your air conditioner, which should help keep energy costs in check.
But does running a ceiling fan really lower energy bills? Read on to find out.
What Is a Ceiling Fan For?
Ceiling fans circulate air. When the fan blades move counter-clockwise, the motion pulls air from the ground and then pushes it back down, creating a breeze.
This breeze creates an evaporative cooling effect, blowing the heat and moisture from our skin. Temperatures never change, but this evaporative effect makes the room feel cooler. Running a ceiling fan in an empty room is a waste of energy, so this effect is useless.
Also, if you don’t raise your AC temperature by a few degrees while the fan works to make it feel cooler, you won’t reap the cost savings of a ceiling fan.
Do Ceiling Fans Lower Your Energy Bill? Fact or Fiction
Here’s a look at some facts and fiction about ceiling fans and lower energy bills.
You Should Slightly Raise Your Thermostat While the Ceiling Fan Is On: FACT
Running a ceiling fan makes a room feel a few degrees cooler than it actually is. Raising the AC thermostat by a few degrees will save energy while keeping you just as comfortable.
Ceiling Fans Make a Good AC Supplement: FACT
While an AC distributes cool air through your home, it will not create an evaporative effect in a room. A ceiling fan can best circulate the cool air an AC provides.
Ceiling Fans Are Useful Only During the Summer: FICTION
Most ceiling fans have a switch that reverses the blade motion. During the cold months, clockwise blade motion will pull up cool air that has settled in the lower half of the room, and hot air will move to replace it, making the room feel warmer.
Ceiling Fans Are Cheap: FACT (Compared to ACs)
An AC unit costs about 36 cents per hour to operate, whereas a ceiling fan only costs 1 cent to 5 cents per hour.
Ceiling Fans With LED Lights
Ceiling fans can help lower energy use in your home, but the operating cost varies depending on how the fans are used and if the fan has a light. Some fan lights use more electricity than the fan motors.
Opt for an ENERGYSTAR® lighting fixture to get the most energy savings out of your ceiling fans. These light fixtures can accommodate LED bulbs, which can help you save.
Dependable Ceiling Fan Installation
Remember to use your ceiling fans efficiently:
- Install fans in rooms that are used often
- Turn off fans when everyone leaves a room
- Turn on the fan only when and where it is needed
Installing ceiling fans can help lower energy bills when used with an AC system.
If you’re planning to have a ceiling fan installed, US Electric has your back! Call us now for all and any of your electrical service needs.