Ceiling fans often get a lot of use during the springtime when the temperatures are milder and homeowners aren’t yet ready to turn on their air conditioners. But did you know that you can use your ceiling fans even during the dog days of summer to help cut down on your air conditioning costs? Today we’re going to talk about best practices for using your ceiling fans to save energy during summer!
First, ensure your ceiling fans are spinning in the right direction
Before we get into the specifics of how to save energy with your ceiling fans, it’s important to note that your fans should be spinning in the right direction for this energy-saving trick to work. If you reversed the direction of your ceiling fans last winter to help cut your heating costs, ensure that you switched them back at some point. In general, ceiling fans should be spinning counterclockwise during summer.
How can you use your ceiling fans to save energy during summer?
Your ceiling fans create a wind-chill effect that makes rooms feel cooler. Rooms typically feel 3-4 degrees cooler when a ceiling fan is on. What does that mean for energy savings? By using your ceiling fans, you can raise your home’s thermostat by 3-4 degrees to ease the load on your air conditioner without sacrificing home comfort!
Remember that ceiling fans don’t help lower the temperature in your home. As a result, you should turn a ceiling fan off when you are leaving a room to avoid wasting energy operating the fan for no reason.
How much energy can you save by using your ceiling fans?
The amount of energy you can save by using your ceiling fans varies depending on several factors, including how hot it is outside and the efficiency of your air conditioner. On average, you can expect to save 1-3 percent off of your cooling costs for every degree that you raise your thermostat over eight hours.
If you have any questions about saving energy by using your ceiling fans during summer, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Louis air conditioning company. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clarkson Valley.
photo credit: jdn via photopin cc
