Wondering how you can increase the efficiency of your air conditioning system this summer without sacrificing comfort? Ceiling fans do just that.
Ceiling fans’ rotating blades create the effect of a wind chill, circulating the already cooled air throughout your home by causing a draft of air. Having several ceiling fans installed on one floor of your home creates a nice cross-breeze that gently moves cooled air, conditioned by your air conditioner, from one end of the home to the other.
When you combine the use of an air conditioner with ceiling fans, you can raise your thermostat’s temperature setting by a degree or two. Over the course of the summer, that adds up to energy saved. Why? An A/C consumes more electricity because it generates energy to cool air, whereas fans move cool air around.
Select a ceiling fan that’s Energy Star-qualified, and you’ll get an efficient system that won’t drain as much energy as a non-Energy Star fan. The minimum airflow for fans is as follows:
- Low-speed fans: 1250 cubic feet per minute (cfm)
- Medium-speed fans: 3000 cfm
- High-speed fans: 5000 cfm
To get the most efficient results from your ceiling fans, follow these operating tips:
- Installation matters, a lot. To get a good draft of air going, the fan should be hung so that its blades are 30 centimetres from the ceiling; 200 centimetres from the floor to the blades; or 60 centimetres from any of the room’s walls.
- Remember that ceiling fans operate in two directions. For cooling, you want the air to move down. You can reverse the cycle for winter use so the fan will draw warm air up and circulate the heat.
- To save electricity, turn fans off when you’re not in the room. Ceiling fans don’t actually generate cool air; they contribute to air circulation, so you benefit from them when you’re present.
Got ceiling fans? Then use them this summer to enhance the cooling effects of your A/C. Arpi’s is an industry leader in Calgary. Our experts can help you select efficient equipment and save energy. Call us anytime.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Arpi’s services Calgary, Alberta. To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.
