Many homes have both ceiling fans and air conditioners to beat the heat of the hot summer months. Nonetheless, most of us have become heavily dependent on the AC, so we don’t bother with the ceiling fans at all. Yes, the air conditioners are more convenient to use, but their running costs are high when compared to the ceiling fan. Hence, it is natural for you to wonder whether switching on the fan is better or lowering the temperature of the AC when you start feeling warm indoors.
Ceiling Fans Or AC – Which Is A Better Option?
If you want an honest opinion, the key is to find the correct balance. It is because both ACs and ceiling fans serve the same purpose, but each in its own distinctive manner.
Air Conditioner Most Convenient To Use
The ceiling fan can provide only so much relief from the heat. Unlike that, an AC is a smarter machine. All you need to do is set the desired temperature you want on the thermostat, and after that, just kick back and relax. It not only cools your home faster but also helps get rid of the humidity. You need not worry about switching it on and off. It will cycle automatically to maintain the set temperature in your home.
A fan, on the other hand, cannot control humidity, and you need to remember to switch it on and off every time. With a fan, one cannot afford to be lazy. In the case of an air conditioner, all you need is a smart thermostat, and you can be as lazy as you want. With the set program on the thermostat, you can have different temperature settings for different times of the day. There is no need to manually crank up or crank down the temperature. Now, that is the heights of being lazy and yet comfortable.
Ceiling Fans Lower The Power Bills
Most homes that are centrally air-conditioned spend around 27% to 30% of their power bill on air conditioning. Running a ceiling fan is even more economical than the most energy-efficient AC as it consumes far less power. Consider the fact that even if you leave the ceiling fan running throughout the day, the power that it consumes is way less than running the AC for two hours. So, switching on the ceiling fan is any day a wiser and more pocket-friendly option. However, if you run the fan in conjunction with the AC, you can help you bring in more savings. Research shows that using the ceiling fan and simultaneously increasing the temperature of AC by one degree, you can easily gain savings worth 3% to 6%.
To maximize savings and make the most of your HVAC, you should increase the thermostat temperature by 4 degrees and switch on the ceiling fan. Surprisingly this combination will give the same cooling effect as running the AC at a lower temperature but with tremendous energy savings. With this combination, one can enjoy the same coolness at home and that, too, at a lower cost.
The Big Question Is That Of Comfort
Comfort is a relative term. It is personal and varies from person to person. What is cool for one person may be chilling or warm for another. It depends on your build, type of clothes you wear, activities that you perform while at home, and so on.
The only way to please everyone is by giving them control over the cooling equipment. This does not mean that every member of the household has the liberty to go and play around with the thermostat. It just means installing ceiling fans in every room so that the wind chill effect can be used at one’s discretion. If one wants the room cooler, all they have to do is switch on the fan. If somebody else finds the room too chilly with the fan on, they can simply switch it off.
Clockwise or Counterclockwise Ceiling Fan?
The direction in which the ceiling fan spins has a significant bearing on how cool or warm the room becomes.
When the ceiling fan runs counterclockwise, it blows the air in a downward direction. This makes one feel a slight breeze in the room. Such a setting is most ideal for summers as it helps cool the room faster, and the breeze makes the occupants feel cool and comfortable.
During winters, the fan should run in a clockwise direction as it pulls up the air. So there is no breeze in the room. Due to the clockwise movement of the fan, the cold air rises to the top and is replaced by warm air, so the room becomes warm and cozy in just a few minutes.
Replace Old Fans With New Ones
Fans that are more than 15 years old should be replaced with new ones. It is because old fans lose their efficiency over time and start consuming more and more power. Replacing them can give the homeowners energy-savings worth almost 80%. When you replace your old ceiling fans, you don’t have to buy ones that have a higher speed. As it is, you will be using it in combination with your central heating and cooling system. So all you need is a ceiling fan with reasonably good speed and nothing too fast or too fancy.
Closing Thoughts
Running just the ceiling fan or just the AC, both options are unsuitable. In the first case, you will not be able to get comfortable enough, and, in the second case, your energy bills are going to be very high. The most desirable setup, where you get the best of both the worlds, uses the combination of the two. It will give personalized comfort without any extra cost.
If you have tried the combination of the two and still find your home lacking comfort-wise, give a call to the air experts at Aztil Air Conditioning. You can contact us at +1-888-729-8452. We serve in the West Palm Beach area and would be delighted to help solve your dilemma.
