If your intent is to stay cool without jacking up your energy bills, you’ll certainly depend on your ceiling fan all the time this summer. A prevalent approach is to use a fan without AC until it gets too hot, then switch the fan off and run the air conditioner when you really need it. This is a mistake! Having the ceiling fan and air conditioner simultaneously is a great way to increase comfort and energy savings.
It can feel unnecessary to try two cooling methods simultaneously, but fans make your air conditioner more powerful. Use these five tips to help you get the most from your air conditioning system this summer.
Install a Ceiling Fan
First—if you don’t already have ceiling fans throughout your home, consider installing a few. You should have the opportunity to switch out any light fixture in the heart of the room for a quiet, efficient and eye-catching 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 have to be at the least eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings may not benefit as much.
As you might imagine, longer fans can push more air than smaller ones. Get a 36- to 44-inch diameter fan for rooms up to 225 square feet and 52-inch fans for bigger rooms. You can also put in multiple fans in a line to cool rooms longer than 18 feet.
Confirm the Fan’s Direction
Ceiling fans can work in both directions. Ensure yours is set to spin counterclockwise in the summertime. This pushes air down to make the breeze feel more obvious.
If you’re uncertain whether the fan is rotating the right way, turn it on and stay right below it. If the breeze appears low for how rapidly the blades are spinning, you might need to switch the direction.
Some fans have a remote control, particularly if they’re put in on a vaulted ceiling. Check 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 either way because moving the air upward is useful for reducing heating expenses in the winter. So when the seasons change, adjust your fan to spin clockwise and keep it on low to disperse warm air close to the ceiling back toward the living room without producing a breeze. This technique is very helpful in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings.
Reset the Thermostat
You must turn up the thermostat to make the most of energy savings from using a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t stress over feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect produced by using a ceiling fan makes the room seem around 4 degrees cooler. This principle, which can make winter weather particularly bad, is the key to home comfort and energy savings for the summer.
If you ordinarily keep your house about 75 degrees, think about readjusting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to make up for the wind chill effect made by running a ceiling fan. Then, switch up your outfit to improve your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season allows you to improve comfort while reducing cooling costs.
Turn Off the Fans in Unoccupied Areas
It’s a widespread belief that ceiling fans lower the temperature in a room. Sure, 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 empty room. Fans may cost pennies on the dollar to operate as opposed to air conditioners, but every little bit helps, so turn off the fan if you’re the last person to leave the room.
See Your Energy Savings Grow
If you use the tips listed above, you should recognize a drop in your air conditioning costs all summer long. After all, you can save nearly 3 percent on your cooling costs for each degree you raise the thermostat. And by using the wind chill effect produced by the ceiling fan, you can receive savings without losing out on comfort.
Keep Cool with Help from Matz-Rightway
Truly, you shouldn’t underestimate the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort this summer! If you need air conditioning services at any time, choose Matz-Rightway to solve your problem fast. Our technicians can help your air conditioner run 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 request an appointment with the HVAC pros at Matz-Rightway.