While you may enjoy finding sanctuary in your home during the hot Corpus Christi summers, you probably don’t enjoy the increase in your cooling bills. The good news is that you can offset some of these added energy costs by using ceiling fans. Learn more about how a ceiling fan is an effective, low-energy way to beat the heat.
How a Ceiling Fan Can Keep You Cool
When a ceiling fan circulates air, it creates a wind chill that makes you feel cooler. Even though there’s no change in temperature, fans work because the breeze helps the moisture on your skin evaporate more quickly. By using a ceiling fan, you can turn up the temperature on your A/C by three or four degrees and feel just as comfortable.
Ceiling Fan Considerations
- Energy Star certified fans are 20 percent more effective at moving air than most traditional models.
- Ceiling fans should only be installed in rooms with a minimum of 8-foot-high ceilings. The blades need to be at least 18 inches away from the walls and 8 inches from the ceiling.
- Larger rooms need fans that are at least 52 inches in diameter, but ceiling fans with a 36- or 44-inch diameter can be used in rooms that are up to 225 square feet.
Ceiling Fans Benefits
- Ceiling fans use very little energy – especially those that are labeled “energy-efficient,” which only use about 100 watts of energy. A central air conditioner typically requires up to 3,500 watts of energy. Ceiling fans are a big improvement over common box fans, most of which use up to 900 watts of energy.
- Using a ceiling fan will reduce your carbon footprint.
- The chance you’ll have problems with your A/C is reduced and your system will last longer, since you won’t be using the A/C as often.
For more information on using ceiling fans in your South Texas home, please contact us Bodine-Scott Air Conditioning Co.
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