While many homeowners rely on their air conditioning system along to keep their home cool, others have discovered that the addition of ceiling fans improves indoor comfort while boosting air conditioner efficiency and reducing monthly utility bills.
Ceiling fans improve circulation and distribution of cool air within your home. The airflow from a ceiling fan will cool you directly as the air currents contact your body. This direct cooling, a type of wind-chill effect, is similar to what you feel from a refreshing outdoor breeze or a freezing gust of winter air. It will make you feel colder than the actual temperature around you. Ceiling fans can make about a four-degree difference in the temperature you feel in the room.
The larger the ceiling fan, the more circulation will be generated. Units with bigger blades will also move more air. For rooms up to 225 square feet, fans between 35 and 44 inches in diameter will produce an adequate amount of air circulation. If you have a room larger than that, it will require a bigger fan or possibly multiple fans. Ask your HVAC provider for advice on the best size of ceiling fan to use for your circumstances.
Ceiling fans should be adjusted to direct airflow toward the floor during summertime cooling operation. Downdrafts improve overall air circulation and help move and redistribute cool air that may sink and settle near the floor.
Make sure you have enough room for your ceiling fans. They should be used in rooms with 8-foot or higher ceilings. The blades should set seven to nine feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches below the ceiling. Ceiling fans require at least 18 inches of clearance and open space between the tips and the blades and the walls of the room.
Ace Hardware Home Services Inc. has more than three decades of professional experience in heating and cooling services in Dayton and the surrounding area. Contact us today for more information on how air conditioners and ceiling fans can work together to lower your monthly energy bills and improve your home’s overall level of indoor comfort.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
