Tip 28 - Play It Again, Fan |
| In the last 10 years, Americans have bought 60 million ceiling fans. "About 100 years ago," says Electrical Review magazine, "ceiling fans were introduced to make rooms more comfortable in warm climates." When we think of ceiling fans today, we usually think of classic films such as Casablanca. There is a romance to them, but there's also a practical reason for purchasing one. |
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ENERGY FACTS
- Ceiling fans consume as little energy as a 60-watt bulb, which is about 98 percent less energy than most central air conditioners use.
- Ceiling fans are often used instead of air conditioning, but it's not necessarily one or the other. Fans produce air currents that carry heat away from the skin so even air-conditioned rooms feel cooler when one is running.
- Many ceiling fans save energy in winter as well as summer because their motors run in reverse. This pushes down warm air trapped near the ceiling.
- How much difference can that make? Some rooms can be 15 degrees warmer at the ceiling than at the floor. A well-placed ceiling fan can reduce this difference to only three degrees.
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SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY
- If you're shopping for a ceiling fan: You'll find them at a home improvement center. Buy a fan that's reversible and has more than one speed. Check to ensure the blades are angled at least 10 degrees.
- If you're considering where to install a fan: Rooms with the highest ceilings are the best candidates and make sure the blades are seven to nine feet above the floor.
- Match the fan size the size of the room. For rooms 12 feet by 12 feet or less, a 36-inch or 42-inch fan works. For rooms up to 12 feet by 18 feet, use a 48-inch or 52-inch fan. If the room is larger, you may need at least two fans.
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