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

If your goal is to keep cool without spiking your energy bills, you’ll certainly rely on your ceiling fan all the time this summer. A well-known strategy is to run a fan without AC until it gets excessively hot, then switch the fan off and use the air conditioner in its place. This is a mistake! Operating the ceiling fan and air conditioner simultaneously is the best way to maximize comfort and energy savings. 

It may appear excessive to try two cooling methods together, but fans make your air conditioner more effective. Try these five tips to help you get more from your air conditioning system this summer. 

Install a Ceiling Fan 

First things first—if you don’t already have ceiling fans throughout your home, look into installing a number of them. You should have the opportunity to switch out any light fixture in the middle of the room for a silent, reliable and eye-catching ceiling fan. 

Remember that ceiling fans run best when the blades will be 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 should be a minimum of eight-feet high, and rooms with vaulted ceilings might not benefit as much. 

As you might imagine, bigger fans can propel more air than smaller ones. Opt for a 36- to 44-inch diameter fan for rooms approximately 225 square feet and 52-inch fans for larger rooms. You can also install multiple fans in a line to cool rooms longer than 18 feet. 

Confirm the Fan’s Direction 

Ceiling fans can spin in both directions. Verify yours is ready to spin counterclockwise during the summer. This pushes air back down to make the breeze appear more obvious. 

If you’re uncertain whether the fan is spinning the right way, turn it on and sit straight beneath it. If the breeze appears low for how quickly the blades are rotating, you likely need to reverse the direction. 

Some fans have a remote control, particularly if they’re put in on a vaulted ceiling. Look for a button on the remote to reverse the direction. If your fan doesn’t use a remote, check the motor housing for a reversing switch. 

Ceiling fans can rotate both ways because pushing the air upward is useful for lowering heating expenses in the winter. So when the seasons change, set your fan to rotate clockwise and run it on low to circulate warm air near the ceiling back to the living space without producing a breeze. This technique is especially beneficial in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings. 

Reset the Thermostat 

You need to change the thermostat to make the most of energy savings from using a ceiling fan in the summer. Don’t concern yourself with feeling uncomfortable—the “wind chill” effect produced by turning on a ceiling fan makes the room seem up to 4 degrees cooler. This principle, 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 about 75 degrees, consider adjusting the thermostat to 77 or 78 degrees to make up for the wind chill effect made by running a ceiling fan. Then, adjust your outfit to enhance your comfort level even more. Dressing for the season allows you to optimize comfort while reducing cooling costs. 

Shut Off the Fans in Unoccupied Areas 

It’s a popular misconception that ceiling fans lower the temperature in the room. Sure, they make you feel cooler, but all they do is shift air around. As a result, there’s never a reason to keep a ceiling fan on in an empty room. Fans may cost pennies on the dollar to run in contrast to 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 follow the tips laid out above, you should notice a decrease in your air conditioning bills for the rest of the summer. After all, you can save nearly 3 percent on your cooling costs for every degree you raise the thermostat. And by enjoying the wind chill effect produced by the ceiling fan, you can enjoy savings without giving up comfort. 

Keep Cool with Help from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning 

Plainly, you shouldn’t undervalue the impact ceiling fans can have on your home comfort this summer! If you need air conditioning services at any time, choose Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to address your problem quickly. Our technicians can help your air conditioner perform as efficiently as possible, ensuring it works in tandem 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 Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning.