If you’re looking for ways to reduce energy usage during the long, hot Southern California summer, ceiling fans can help. Using ceiling fans and air conditioning together saves energy if done correctly. A properly-sized and well-installed fan can lighten the load on your air conditioner, reducing energy use without sacrificing your comfort. However, to take advantage of that savings potential, you’ll need know how to most efficiently use the fans in your home.
The wind chill effect of greater air circulation can make a noticeable difference in home comfort. Increased air circulation makes people feel cooler at higher temperatures, helping the body’s natural cooling process work more efficiently. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ceiling fans can allow you to increase your thermostat setting by as much as four degrees to reduce energy usage without affecting your comfort level.
However, there are some important things to remember if you are to realize those energy savings. Perhaps most essential is the fact that fans cool people, not rooms. Leaving fans on in empty rooms wastes energy and can reduce, or even cancel out, the energy efficiency gained by their use. Additionally, be sure to choose fans that carry the Energy Star label for maximum energy savings.
Other important factors to consider are the size and placement of ceiling fans. The DOE recommends using fans in rooms with ceilings at least eight feet high and placing them with a minimum of eight inches of clearance between the blades and the ceiling. Fans between 36 and 44 inches in diameter are suitable for rooms of up to 225 square feet in size, while fans that measure at least 52 inches are necessary for optimal air circulation in larger rooms. For rooms that are more than 18 feet in length, using more than one ceiling fan is the most efficient option.
For more information on the proper installation and use of ceiling fans, please contact Around the Clock Air Conditioning and Heating. We’ve been serving the home comfort needs of customers in the greater Los Angeles and North Hollywood areas since 1967.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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