by John McDevitt

Created on: July 03, 2007

Did you know that when you use ceiling fans together with your air conditioner you can pocket as much as 12% savings on your electric bill, and still enjoy cool comfort? When your ceiling fan is running, you can raise your thermostat by about 4 degrees without feeling the heat. In fact, you might even find the higher setting more comfortable.

A good quality ceiling fan that's sized properly for your room creates a refreshing breeze that cools you quietly and naturally. A ceiling fan also makes your air conditioner more effective, because the fan circulates the air in a room continuously. This eliminates those annoying hot and cold spots that happen all too often when you're too far away or too close to a cooling vent.

Cool comfort is great, but who wants to be shut up in the house with the windows closed all summer? When your ceiling fans are operating, there will be more days when you can open the house and let the fresh outdoor breezes blow through your home.

When you shop for a ceiling fan, buy the best you can, good ones are quiet, don't wobble and they'll last for years. Ceiling fans with the Energy Star label are your best bet. They'll make your wallet 20% more comfortable than the standard models, and the energy savings will offset the extra cost quickly.

Remember that ceiling fans excel in moving large volumes of air quietly and gently. That's why it's so important to be sure the fan fits the room. Bigger isn't always better, a large fan in a small room is overkill and will overwhelm the space. By the same token, a small fan in a larger room won't be up to the job. You'd be forced to run the fan at high speed and you won't be happy with the results.

Rooms up to about 225 square feet will be fine with smaller fan blade diameters of 36 to 44 inches, but you'll need a fan with a 52 inch blade diameter for larger spaces. A long narrow space (longer than 18 feet) will need two fans.

Real comfort depends on moving air, and ceiling fans are the best tools for the job. They'll help keep you cool, save money on your summer electric bills, and when you reverse the flow, they'll even out the air temperature and help keep you warm come winter.

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Source:
U.S. Dept. of Energy:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home /space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12355

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