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Posted at Helpful Tips by Marty Bautista
May. 26, 2008
Tagged with: keep cool save energy green fan
If you’re looking to stay cool and save on energy bills this summer, look up. A good ceiling fan, when properly used and maintained, can help keep your cooling and heating costs down throughout the year.
To reap the maximum benefits — in comfort level and savings — it’s important to make sure that ceiling fans are properly installed and that you use the right size and model for the room.
Consider ceiling fan blade spans, which range from 29 to 54 inches, and room size, and be sure that the fan is mounted in the middle of the room, at least 7 feet above the floor and 18 inches from the walls. Other performance factors to consider include the motor type and grade (performance, medium or economy), and the blades’ pitch and material. The fans with the best blade and motor designs are most efficient and quieter as well. Look for models with the highest air flow efficiency, which is measured by cubic feet per minute per watt (CFM/watt) at each speed.
An Energy Star-rated fan is 50 percent more efficient than a conventional fan and can save $10 or more annually on utility bills. If this doesn’t seem like much, consider the additional savings that come from adjusting the thermostat accordingly and keeping air conditioner (or heater) use to a minimum.
Ceiling fans keep people cool, not the spaces they’re in, so be sure to turn off the fan when not in a room. In the summer, make sure the fan is moving in a counter-clockwise direction so that it produces the downward wind-chill effect; in the winter, reverse the direction and use the fan at a low speed to force the warm air near the ceiling up and then down along the walls and floor.
And don’t forget about the lights. Most ceiling fans include some kind of light fixture, which is often used as the main light source in a room. Be sure to use an energy-efficient light kit and to turn it off when a room is empty.
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