Ceiling fans have been around since the late 19th century and helped keep homes cool and comfortable until air conditioning units and systems became available and affordable in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, ceiling fans are thought to be more of a summer asset. However, using your AC system and your ceiling fan together can actually help you to save money while keeping your home comfortable.

How Ceiling Fans and Air Conditioning Interact

Having a ceiling fan circulate the air in your room can make you feel up to five degrees cooler. Think wind chill in the winter. That means you’ll enjoy the same degree of comfort while spending less on energy. The fewer times your condenser cycles on and off, the less energy you’ll use. According to Home Guides.com, the average household will save around $30 per month.

You’ll need to position your fan so that it’s pushing the air down – not drawing it up. Don’t get hung up thinking about clockwise vs. counterclockwise. It can be different on different fans. Your fan should have a switch that changes the direction of the blades. This is often located at the base of the fan.

Set your fan on low vs. the highest setting. You’ll use more energy, the faster the fan goes and, according to “Consumer Reports,” there is little comfort to be gained with the faster setting. You’ll also want to replace your old, inefficient fan with a new, energy-efficient fan. This one step can save you around 60 percent on the cost of running your fan.

Keep in mind that ceiling fans only make people and pets feel more comfortable. Unlike cooling systems, they don’t actually cool the air. That means you’ll want to make sure to turn the fan off when you exit the room.

To learn more about ways to stay cool and maximize your cooling system’s efficiency in your Atlanta area home, contact 4 Seasons Heating & Air in Alpharetta today! We’ve been helping homeowners like you keep their homes comfortable year round for more than 40 years.