Why Ceiling Fans Make a Big Difference in Your Energy Bills
The wind-chill effect isn’t limited to the winter winds that make you feel cooler than the actual temperature outside. Ceiling fans in the home create a wind-chill environment inside your Florida home during hot weather to make you feel cooler there, too. By circulating the air inside a room, ceiling fans create drafts that increase your comfort and decrease your energy bills.
To maximize the energy efficiency of ceiling fans, follow this checklist:
- Room size – Use a 36- or 44-inch diameter ceiling fan in a room that’s up to 225 square feet, and a 52-inch diameter or more model in larger rooms. If you have a room that’s longer than 18 feet, use more than one fan.
- Ceiling height – Install fans 10 to 12 inches below ceilings that are least 8 feet high.
- Mounting safety – Anchor each ceiling fan, if possible, to a ceiling joist. If that’s not possible, use a special ceiling fan mounting bracket that holds the fan firmly in place.
- Operation – Fans don’t cool the rooms in your home. They cool the people inside the rooms. Turn off fans when you leave rooms to save on energy costs.
Ceiling fans can be an important component of a comprehensive energy efficiency plan for your home. Used properly, fans allow you to raise the thermostat four degrees and reduce the cooling load on your home’s air conditioning system.
Your trusted HVAC contractor can help you determine the number, size and model of each ceiling fan that fits individual rooms in your home. The installing technician should also ensure the fan blades are balanced so the fan operates smoothly and efficiently.
In Tampa and the surrounding areas, Gulf Coast Air Systems is happy to answer all your questions about how ceiling fans can be an integral part of your home’s comfort system. Please call us with all your HVAC needs.