Contrary to popular belief, ceiling fans do not actually create cool air. This means that your AC and ceiling fan use are not the same thing, and they shouldn’t be used separately from each other. In fact, using your AC and fans in tandem can offer you energy savings and higher comfort levels!
Mission AC & Plumbing is proud to offer the inside tips and tricks to home efficiency by informing you about your ceiling fans. With a couple of easy practices implemented in your home, your entire air regulation system can benefit.
How Do Ceiling Fans Work?
When it comes to what your ceiling fans actually do within the air regulation system, many homeowners may not be aware of their importance. Fans don’t produce cold air like the AC – they use windchill to achieve their goals.
Windchill is simply the movement of air over skin with moisture on it. As the moisture is exposed to the air and evaporated, your skin feels cooler. You might notice this when you get out of a pool in the summertime and your skin feels cold even in 100 degree weather.
In your home, the reason your fans make you feel cooler is because the tiny amounts of perspiration on your skin are being wicked away and cooling your skin. The movement of air is the key here, not the actual temperature.
Can Ceiling Fans Save You Energy?
If you know how to properly use a ceiling fan, it can lead to lower energy bills and less strain on your AC – not to mention your comfort will be exactly the same, if not better.
Fans and AC Efficiency
The entire purpose of ceiling fans is to use air movement to make you feel cooler than you are. When paired with clever AC settings, you can save a lot of money you would have wasted on cooling power from your HVAC unit.
With fans helping you feel cooler, you can set your AC thermostat to a higher degree and count on windchill to fill in the gap in comfort. For example, if you want it to feel like 75 degrees in your home, set your thermostat to 79 degrees and turn on your fans. You will still feel comfortable, your energy consumption will be less and your AC won’t have to struggle quite as hard to achieve such cold temperatures in the summer.
Fan Strategy
One of the most important things to remember about cooling your home is the peak hours of the day. This refers to the hottest times of the day when cranking up your AC puts a lot of strain on the system. Usually somewhere between 3 and 9 pm the temperatures outside are the hottest of the day. Use this time to raise your thermostat and use your fans to compensate.
Another great rule to remember is that fans only help if you are in the room they are in. Leaving ceiling fans on when no one is there to benefit from the windchill is only useful if you are walking in and out of rooms frequently. Otherwise, your fans are just running for no reason!
Alternative AC Efficiency Tips
Using tricks like ceiling fan use to help out your AC is imperative in hot areas like Texas. If you’re interested in creating a more efficient home by using low cost solutions, Mission AC & Plumbing is here for you. For all your efficiency questions and concerns, contact us today!
