Here in Northeast Ohio, as the temperatures reach the high 80s and 90s, turn on your ceiling fan and turn up the thermostat setting a few degrees for energy savings without losing any comfort. A ceiling fan operating in often-used rooms in your house can take some of the cooling load off of your A/C or heat pump, providing ample savings each month during the cooling season.
Year-round savings
Ceiling fans also help reduce your energy bills year round. Most of these fans have a switch that will make the fan blades rotate counterclockwise during the summer and clockwise during the winter. In the summer, the fan will increase ventilation, improve indoor air quality, and create a wind-chill cooling effect for people underneath the rotating fan blades. In the winter, reverse the fan setting and the fan will blow upward, redistributing warm air that collects near the ceiling, so people down below can feel it.
I have AC; do I need a ceiling fan?
Using a ceiling fan in conjunction with an A/C unit will allow you to raise the temperature setting of the A/C by three or four degrees, while still feeling comfortable. Reducing your use of an energy-efficient air-conditioner will decrease your energy expenses during the summer. During milder temperatures, ceiling fans may allow you to avoid using the air conditioner altogether.
Installation Tips
When installing a ceiling fan in your home, consider installing one in every room that gets regular use. A larger fan can move more air than a smaller fan; additionally larger blades will provide more cooling at a lower velocity than smaller fan blades. This is important in rooms where you might be concerned about papers being disrupted by the fan blowing.
From style to noise ratings, each product will have different benefits. Before buying, read reviews, and if possible, see the fan in action at the store before buying it.
For more information on how to heat and cool your home efficiently, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We serve homeowners in Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio 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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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area