It's getting so most people don't even notice that ceiling fan spinning around above them, but if they're paying attention to their cooling bills, they might just observe a positive consequence of using ceiling fans. Used consistently, ceiling fans can complement the cooling provided by your air conditioner or heat pump. And during milder times of the year, they can eliminate the need for air conditioning.
A ceiling fan doesn't actually lower the temperature. When the moving air hits a person's body, however, it makes it seem cooler. As a result, if an A/C is running, you can turn the thermostat temperature up a few degrees and still feel cool.
Ceiling fans offer the following benefits:
- They save energy, since it costs less to operate a ceiling fan than an A/C or heat pump. This saves you money every month on your electric bill.
- When the A/C's workload is reduced, there's less stress on parts, and your equipment will last longer without breaking down.
- Reducing the use of air conditioners also helps the environment, through decreased consumption of electricity and reduced release of a chemical in A/C refrigerant that contributes to climate change.
Ceiling fans also can help reduce energy use in the winter. When you adjust the fan blade rotation to clockwise, the fan will blow the air toward the ceiling, displacing warm air that collects there. That air then circulates down into the room where occupants can feel it (and the thermostat won't kick on the furnace quite so quickly). Just don't forget to readjust the rotation to counter-clockwise when spring arrives.
It's important to remember that a ceiling fan's cooling effect is meaningless if there's nobody around to feel it. A ceiling fan operating in an empty room won't accomplishing anything but needlessly consume electricity. Get in the habit of turning off fans and lights when leaving rooms empty.
Visit Valley Heating, Cooling Electrical for helpful information on ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, or just call us at (408) 868-5500. We provide quality services to the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).