The five-blade ceiling fan above has an electric heater built into the housing. It automatically rotates the proper direction for cooling or heating.
Question: I’m thinking about installing a couple of ceiling fans to reduce my electric bills. How do I choose and use the right fan for my needs?
Answer: Ceiling fans can cut your electric bills year-round, but before you run out and buy a few, it’s important to understand how they save energy. If you install a ceiling fan and don’t adjust your thermostat settings accordingly, you may be more comfortable, but it actually increases your power use.
The important thing to remember is that the fan itself does not cool air or things—fans cool people, so they should be turned off when the room is empty.
During summer, ceiling fans cool the skin by rotating to create a downward breeze. That should make you feel comfortable enough to turn up the air conditioner a few degrees.
Setting the thermostat higher saves much more electricity than the ceiling fan consumes.
When cold weather arrives, flip the small switch on the side of the ceiling fan housing to reverse the blade rotation. Run the fan on low speed so it creates a gentle upward breeze (away from people in the room). This will force the warm air—which naturally rises—back down where it’s needed. Then you can set your furnace a few degrees lower and save energy there, too.
Some new ceiling fans also have a built-in electric heater with a handheld remote thermostat/control. It functions just like a standard ceiling fan during summer. During winter, switch to heating mode, and the fan automatically reverses rotation.
To feel that all-important breeze on your skin during summer, be sure you get the right blade diameter. A common sizing rule of thumb is to use a 36-inch fan for rooms up to 150 square feet, a 48-inch fan for up to 300 square feet and a 52-inch fan for up to 450 square feet. For larger rooms, use two fans spaced about one-quarter of the way in from opposing walls.
Price is often a good indication of the quality of a ceiling fan. Better ceiling fans typically have a greater pitch (twist) on the blades. This requires a more powerful motor, but it moves more air at a lower rotation speed. Lower speed results in less sound and less chance of annoying wobble.
A hand-held remote control is a convenient feature that can be found in both inexpensive and pricier models. Natural wood blades are attractive, but inexpensive ones made of synthetic materials are generally well balanced. A rubber-mounted hub reduces noise and vibration. Even the best ceiling fans may require you to attach small balancing weights to stop wobble at high speed.
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