Five Tips for Combining Ceiling Fans and Air Conditioners

Try these 5 suggestions for using ceiling fans with your air conditioner

This summer, you'll undoubtedly use your ceiling fan a lot if you want to stay cool without raising your energy costs. One common tactic is to use air conditioning instead of the fan until it becomes too hot, at which point the fan is turned off. This is a mistake! The greatest method to improve comfort and reduce energy use is to have the ceiling fan and air conditioner work together.

Even though using two different cooling strategies simultaneously may seem unnecessary, fans actually increase the efficiency of your air conditioner. Use these five suggestions to get more use out of your air conditioner this summer.

1. Install a Ceiling Fan First

If your property doesn't already have ceiling fans, think about adding several of them. Any light fixture in the middle of the room should be able to be replaced with a smooth, useful, and stylish ceiling fan.

Remember that ceiling fans work best when their blades are between 10 and 12 inches from the ceiling, seven to nine feet above the floor, and at least 18 inches from the walls. As a result, rooms with vaulted ceilings might not gain as much as rooms with lower ceilings by having ceilings that are at least eight feet high.

As you may expect, larger fans have a greater airflow capacity than smaller ones. For spaces up to 225 square feet, choose a fan with a 36-to 44-inch diameter, and 52 inches for bigger rooms. If a room is longer than 18 feet, you can install additional fans in the same location to cool it.

2. Check the direction of the fan

Ceiling fans have two directions of rotation. In the summer, make sure yours is prepared to rotate counterclockwise. By forcing air downward, the breeze is made to feel stronger.

Turn on the fan and stand directly beneath it if you're not sure if it's spinning in the appropriate direction. You might need to change the direction of the breeze appears insufficient given how quickly the blades are rotating.

The remote control may be included with some fans, especially those mounted on vaulted ceilings. On the remote, look for a button to change the direction. If your fan doesn't have a remote control, look for a reversing switch on the motor housing.

Since moving air upward helps reduce winter heating costs, ceiling fans have two directions of rotation. In order to return warm air from near the ceiling to the living room without creating a breeze, turn your fan clockwise as the seasons change. When used in stairwells and rooms with vaulted ceilings, this technique is particularly effective.

As you may expect, larger fans have a greater airflow capacity than smaller ones. For spaces up to 225 square feet, choose a fan with a 36-to 44-inch diameter, and 52 inches for bigger rooms. If a room is longer than 18 feet, you can install additional fans in the same location to cool it.

3. Thermostat reset

To benefit from energy savings from utilizing a ceiling fan in the summer, you should adjust the thermostat. Don't worry if you feel uneasy because employing a ceiling fan will give the impression that the room is up to 4 degrees cooler. This method, which can make winter cold miserable, is crucial to summertime energy efficiency and home comfort.

Consider raising the temperature in your home from the usual 75 degrees to 77 or 78 to account for the wind chill effect brought on by utilizing a ceiling fan. Then, alter your attire to further increase your degree of comfort. You may increase comfort and lower cooling expenses by dressing for the weather.

4. Shut Off Fans in Empty Spaces

It's a common misconception that ceiling fans lower the room's temperature. They may make you feel colder, but all they really do is move air. Therefore, there is no good reason to keep a ceiling fan running in a room that is not occupied. Even while fans work at a fraction of the expense of air conditioning systems, every little bit helps, so turn off the fan if you're the last person to leave the room.

5. Watch as your energy savings grow

If you use the above advice, your air conditioning costs will decrease for the remainder of the summer. After all, every degree you raise the thermostat can save you up to 3% on your cooling costs. You can save money without sacrificing comfort by making use of the ceiling fan's wind chill effect.