Ceiling fans are an old technology, and have been used in the U.S.since before there was electricity to run them.
With the advent of air conditioning, many people thought that ceiling fans were no longer needed. However, air conditioning doesn’t change the fact that fans have a cooling effect; on average, having a ceiling fan running makes the air in a room feel about 4 degrees cooler than the actual temperature. This means you can set the thermostat 4 degrees higher in the summer, saving you considerably on your electric bills. (Ceiling fans use very little electricity, compared to an air conditioning system, and since their cooling effect is instantaneous, you only have to turn them on when you are in the room.)
So, if you are looking to increase comfort in yourFresno area home, while also saving energy, ceiling fans may be the way to go. There are some things to keep in mind, though, to ensure you get the maximum benefit from your fans:
- Turn off the ceiling fan when you leave a room. A ceiling fan running in an empty room is a needless waste of electricity.
- A ceiling fan works best when the blades are 10 to 12 inches below the ceiling, and 7 to 9 feet above the floor.
- The size of the fan you need depends on the size of the room. A small bedroom might work fine with a 36-inch fan, but your large living room may need a fan that is 52 inches or larger (or more than one fan).
- Bigger blades (those with more surface area) move more air than smaller blades. That allows you to run the fan at a slower speed, usually making it quieter and less likely to disturb loose papers.
- In cold weather, reverse the ceiling fan’s direction so that it blows air up. That will pull the cold air near the floor up, and force the warm air near the ceiling down.
If you have any questions about ceiling fans or other ways to make your San Joaquin Valley home more comfortable and energy-efficient, contact us at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Donald P Dick Air Conditioning services the greater Fresno area in California. To get started, check out our website.