So here’s the thing—a ceiling fan will not cool the air in the room in which it is running. You can leave that ceiling fan on all day, only to come home to a house that is just as hot temperature wise as you left it. So, we get it, ceiling fans may not seem like an important investment. Perhaps you believe there’s no point to their installation at all.
Sure, there are some wasteful ways you can use ceiling fans (like running them all day when you aren’t home, as we just mentioned). But there are also very useful ways to use them, too.
Understanding Ceiling Fans and Air Movement
Okay, so ceiling fans don’t cool the air around them. We’ve established that—so what good are they? Well, they move air around, and in doing this create a cool breeze. That breeze is even cooling when you have your air conditioner running as well. Ceiling fans help improve AC efficiency, which we’ll get to in a moment.
Yes, running your ceiling fan all day when you aren’t home is wasteful and not helpful at all. Since it’s not actually cooling the air, you’re essentially operating an electrical device for no reason whatsoever. Ceiling fans don’t eat up a significant amount of energy, but they certainly still contribute to the use and cost of your electricity.
Additionally, running the motor of your ceiling fan can actually add some heat to the room—so if you aren’t home all day and you have no air conditioner running but you do have a ceiling fan running, you aren’t doing anything to improve your comfort or electrical efficiency.
So, How Are Ceiling Fans Underrated?
Ceiling fans are underrated because not many people realize how much they contribute to greater air conditioner efficiency. Sure, they don’t decrease the temperature of the room on their own, but they do help circulate the cool air coming from the air conditioner, enabling you to turn the temperature up by as much as 10°, saving you a significant amount of money off your electric bill in turn.
Ceiling fans are also quite versatile. They can be installed just about anywhere in your home, from your bedrooms and kitchen to screened in porches and outdoor patios. With today’s options, ceiling fans even help improve the aesthetic appeal of a home.
Plus, they’re beneficial in the wintertime! Your ceiling fan can help you save on your heating costs, as well. There is a switch on the ceiling fan that allows you to run it in reverse, pushing the hot air down, creating a warmer breeze and eliminating your need to have your heating system up so high, so that the system doesn’t need to work as hard to do its job and your energy use is decreased.
As you can see, ceiling fans are far more useful than you may have previously believed. But remember, they can only work as reliably as you expect them too if they are professionally installed and serviced when needed. Working with electricity can, understandably, be dangerous, so be sure to reach out to the pros for this type of work.
At Servall Electric Company, we are “Creating Sustainability through Bright Ideas.” Contact us today for quality electrical installations and Cincinnati electrical repairs.
