Try These Five Tips for Using Ceiling Fans Along with Your AC 

If the intent is to keep cool without increasing your energy bills, you’ll likely depend on your ceiling fan all the time this summer. A well-known technique is to run a fan without AC until it gets too hot, then flip the fan off and use the air conditioner in its place. This is a mistake! Running the ceiling fan and air conditioner simultaneously is the most beneficial way to increase comfort and energy savings. 

It may feel redundant to pursue two cooling methods simultaneously, but fans make your air conditioner more powerful. Use these five tips to help you get more from your cooling system this summer. 

Install a Ceiling Fan 

First things first—if you don’t already have ceiling fans all over your home, think about installing a few. You should have the opportunity to switch out any light fixture in the middle of the room for a quiet, effective and fashionable ceiling fan. 

Remember that ceiling fans work best when the blades rest 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 at least eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings will not benefit the way rooms with lower ceilings will. 

As you can imagine, bigger fans can propel more air than shorter 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 install multiple fans in the same area to cool rooms longer than 18 feet. 

Confirm the Fan’s Direction 

Ceiling fans can run in both directions. Ensure yours is ready to spin counterclockwise during summer. This forces air back down to make the breeze seem more prominent. 

If you’re not sure whether a fan is turning the right way, turn it on and sit straight underneath it. If the breeze seems low for how fast the blades are rotating, you likely need to change the direction. 

Some fans have a remote control, especially if they’re fitted on a vaulted ceiling. Check for a button on the remote to reverse the direction. If your fan doesn’t possess a remote, inspect the motor housing for a reversing switch. 

Ceiling fans can spin in both directions because forcing the air upward is useful for cutting down heating bills in the winter. So when the seasons change, adjust your fan to spin clockwise and keep it on low to circulate warm air toward the ceiling back to the living space without generating a breeze. This approach is very beneficial in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings. 

Adjust the Thermostat 

You must turn up the thermostat to fully appreciate energy savings from using 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 feel about 4 degrees cooler. This concept, which can make winter cold particularly bad, is the key to home comfort and energy savings for the summer. 

If you ordinarily keep your house around 75 degrees, consider readjusting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to compensate for the wind chill effect produced by running a ceiling fan. Then, modify your outfit to boost your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season permits you to optimize comfort while minimizing cooling costs. 

Turn Off the Fans in Unoccupied Areas 

It’s a popular belief that ceiling fans drop the temperature in the room. Of course, 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 on in an empty room. Fans may 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 adhere to the tips listed above, you should observe a reduction in your air conditioning bills all summer long. After all, you can save up to 3 percent on your cooling costs for each degree you raise the thermostat. And by taking advantage of the wind chill effect produced by the ceiling fan, you can experience savings without giving up comfort. 

Keep Cool with Help from Rob's Albertan Service Experts 

Plainly, you shouldn’t undervalue the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort during summer! If you want air conditioning services sometime soon, choose Rob's Albertan Service Experts to fix your problem fast. Our technicians can help your air conditioner perform as effectively as possible, ensuring it works along 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 Rob's Albertan Service Experts.