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

If your goal is to keep cool without increasing your energy bills, you’ll certainly depend on your ceiling fan a great deal this summer. A prevalent strategy is to run a fan without AC until it gets really hot, then shut the fan off and use the air conditioner when you really need it. This is a mistake! Having the ceiling fan and air conditioner at the same time is the optimal way to increase comfort and energy savings.

It might appear redundant to use two cooling methods at once, but fans make your air conditioner more productive. Try 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 in your home, consider installing a few. You should have the opportunity to swap out any light fixture in the center of the room for a silent, reliable and eye-catching ceiling fan.

Don't forget 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 may not benefit as much.

As you can imagine, longer fans can move more air than smaller sized ones. Try 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 line to cool rooms longer than 18 feet.

Check the Fan’s Direction

Ceiling fans can run in both directions. Make sure yours is set to spin counterclockwise during summer. This forces air downward to make the breeze feel more obvious.

If you’re unsure whether a fan is spinning the right way, switch it on and stand straight beneath it. If the breeze seems inadequate for how fast the blades are rotating, you probably need to switch the direction.

Some fans have a remote control, in particular if they’re mounted on a vaulted ceiling. Look for a button on the remote to reverse the direction. If your fan doesn’t possess a remote, run your hand along the motor housing for a reversing switch.

Ceiling fans can spin either way because pushing the air upward is useful for lowering heating bills in the winter. So when the seasons change, flip your fan to spin clockwise and use it on low to distribute warm air around the ceiling back toward the living room without generating a breeze. This approach is particularly helpful in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings.

Turn Up the Thermostat

You have to adjust the thermostat to fully appreciate energy savings from using a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t concern yourself with feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect created by running a ceiling fan makes the room seem around 4 degrees cooler. This concept, which can make winter conditions miserable, is the secret to home comfort and energy savings for the summer.

If you typically keep your house about 75 degrees, consider adjusting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to compensate for the wind chill effect made by using a ceiling fan. Then, modify your outfit to improve your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season permits you to optimize comfort while lowering cooling costs.

Shut Off the Fans in Empty Areas

It’s a widespread assumption that ceiling fans reduce the temperature in the room. Of course, they make you feel cooler, but all they do is shift air around. As a result, there’s no reason to keep a ceiling fan moving in an unused room. Fans might cost pennies on the dollar to operate versus air conditioners, but every little bit matters, so shut off the fan if you’re the last person to leave the room.

Watch Your Energy Savings Grow

If you use the tips featured above, you should observe a reduction in your air conditioning costs for the rest of the summer. 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 created by the ceiling fan, you can receive savings without losing out on comfort.

Keep Cool with Help from Levy & Son Service Experts

Simply, you shouldn’t disregard the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort this summer! If you want air conditioning services at any time, check out Levy & Son Service Experts to solve your problem fast. Our technicians can help your air conditioner perform as efficiently as possible, ensuring it works together with your ceiling fans to keep your home and family comfortable for less. Call us today to arrange an appointment with the HVAC pros at Levy & Son Service Experts.