When it comes to keeping your home comfortable all year long, ceiling fans are much more efficient than running your cooling or heating systems alone. If you know how to use them correctly, you can significantly reduce your energy expenses and increase your comfort at the same time.
Use these tips for operating your ceiling fans, and you will notice the difference immediately:
- Turn fans off when you leave the room. Fans circulate air and provide a breeze but they don't actually change the temperature in a room. Therefore, if you run them when you're not in the room, you're simply wasting energy.
- Counterclockwise for cooling. When the weather is hot outside, you want a breeze blowing directly down on you. This may seem obvious but many homeowners take it for granted that their ceiling fans are rotating correctly without checking to make sure. Also, use high settings to increase the cooling effect.
- Clockwise for heating. On the other hand, you want to switch your blades to rotate clockwise and set the motor on a low speed when you're heating your home. This will displace warm air near your ceiling, and force it outward and then down into the room where it can be appreciated.
- Verify that you have the right size. Generally speaking, 44- to 48-inch ceiling fans are appropriate for small bedrooms and 48- to 60-inch blades are better for large bedrooms, living rooms, etc. If your room has a vaulted ceiling or unique shape, this may not be the case, however.
- Check the installation and placement. Your fans should operate smoothly, with all the blades balanced. They should also be seven to eight feet above the floor, so if you have a higher ceiling, use a down rod to keep it at the correct height.
- Adjust your thermostat. If you're uncomfortably, don't turn the fan off; change the temperature on the thermostat (up or down depending on the season) because that will save you more money.
If you would more tips for saving energy, please contact us at Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating. We've been helping homeowners in the mid-Ohio area save money and stay comfortable since 1965.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Mid-Ohio area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
