A little help is always a good thing, even for your home's air conditioning unit. With summers like South Carolina's, your hardest-working and most energy-demanding appliance could use some assistance.
A fan can be like a great summer intern. They are inexpensive to purchase and require little energy to run, and they can lighten the workload of your home cooling system. A savvy homeowner uses fans to stay comfortable while saving money on their power bill.
Cooling people, not rooms
A fan doesn't lower the temperature in your house, but they create a wind-chill effect that can make you feel 4–6 degrees cooler. That's why a July day at the beach is pleasant with an ocean breeze but stifling without one.
In your home, the steady breeze from ceiling and box fans can be just as effective. If you're comfortable with your thermostat set at 72 degrees with no fan, you'll likely be comfortable at a higher setting, even as high as 76 degrees, with a fan doing the rest. It's like a life hack for your power bill. Your cooling system will run less, but you won't notice a difference.
Breezy math
Most folks don't realize their heating and air system is by far their home's largest power user, contributing to nearly half of their monthly bill. Your central air conditioning system draws approximately 50 times more power than the average box fan. Running a fan costs only about a dime a day, so you can run as many as you like without worry. Bumping up your thermostat 4 degrees and using fans to keep you cool could reduce your monthly electric bill by as much as 15%.
Like any good intern, a fan won't replace your most valued employee. Your AC system still handles the primary responsibility for cooling and dehumidifying your home. But for a fraction of the cost, a fan or two can pick up some of the slack and make a noticeable difference on your bill.
Just remember to turn them off when you're not around. Even the best intern shouldn't be working in an empty office.
Fan facts
Placement matters—A nearby, direct breeze is the most effective way to experience the wind chill factor.
Window hack—Placing a box fan in a window during the morning and evening hours pulls in the coolest air of the day, giving your AC unit a deserved break.
The left direction—Ceiling fans use even less energy than box fans, and they are a great addition to the air-flow effort. Set them to spin counterclockwise to push the air downward in the summer.
Outer limits—During days of extreme temperatures (95 degrees or higher), an AC compressor may still cycle frequently, even at a higher thermostat setting. If it's hot inside, then the air moving around is going to be as well, eliminating the chill factor.