Better Cooling Efficiency Using Ceiling Fans

Cooling costs can get pretty steep during a hot, sticky summer in the Coastal Bend area, and that keeps homeowners on the lookout for ways to improve cooling efficiency. If you are one of them, you should know that ceiling fans can help, so long as they are chosen carefully for your home and used properly.

Ceiling fans work to improve the circulation of the cool air your A/C system produces. That increased airflow helps people feel cooler and more comfortable at higher temperatures — a process called the wind chill effect — which can allow you to raise the temperature setting on your thermostat by as much as 4 degrees without making yourself or your family any less comfortable. A higher temperature setting means your A/C system will run less, reducing energy usage. So what do you need to know to get better cooling efficiency with ceiling fan use?

Proper sizing and installation of your ceiling fan is essential when better cooling efficiency is your goal. To maximize your energy savings, you’ll need fans that are 36 to 44 inches in diameter in rooms up to 225 square feet in size, and fans of at least 52 inches in larger rooms. Long rooms, over 18 feet, will need more than one ceiling fan. Larger is better in terms of air circulation, so long as there is 18 inches of clearance between fan blades and walls. Ceilings must be at least 8 feet high for safe installation, and ceiling fans offer optimal performance when blades are 7 to 9 feet above floors and 10 to 12 inches below ceilings.

The energy efficiency of your ceiling fan is also important. Look for the Energy Star label as you choose your fans, since models that have earned it run an average of 20 percent more efficiently than typical fans. Lastly, fans cool people, so don’t run them in unoccupied rooms.

For more information on increasing cooling efficiency using ceiling fans, please contact CCAC. Our home comfort experts take pride in providing reasonable and reliable service to customers throughout the Corpus Christi area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas 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 Guide or call us at 361-678-2495.

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