If we don’t start living more sustainably day to day, we won’t be able to avert the worst consequences of climate change. And one way you can drastically cut your dependence on fossil fuels is to start using fans to help stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. While fans do use electricity and they’re less sustainable if that electricity comes from fossil fuels, fans use much less electricity than air conditioners and can even help you reduce your dependence on fossil fuels to stay warm in the winter.
Portable floor fans, tower fans, and box fans aren’t as efficient as ceiling fans, plus they don’t tend to last as long, so they end up in the landfill a lot faster and in higher numbers. Ceiling fans are the way to go if you want to live more sustainably. Plus a ceiling fan moves breezes around the whole room, so that an entire group of people can stay cool instead of just those who are in front of the fan. Here’s why ceiling fans are the sustainable choice for your home’s cooling and heating needs.
Ceiling Fans Are Energy-Efficient
Ceiling fans are the most energy-efficient way to cool your home. When it’s in summer mode, with the blades spinning counterclockwise, a ceiling fan can create a nice breeze that helps you lose heat through evaporation of sweat on your skin. When it’s in winter mode, with the blades spinning clockwise, a ceiling fan moves air in the room in such a way that warm air is pushed down from the ceiling, into the room where it can do you some good.
The average ceiling fan uses about 3.6 watts per hour at low speed. A central air conditioner uses 1,950 watts an hour, and a window unit uses about 650 watts per hour. With only 13 percent of energy in the United States coming from renewable resources, it’s important to consume as little energy as you can. Using an Energy Star-rated ceiling fan to help cool your house can slash your energy consumption drastically.
While residential ceiling fans offer significant energy savings, many commercial establishments and industries across different countries turn to specialized ventilation solutions. Industrial Fans Direct, with over 20 years of experience, has been a trusted provider in the US and around the globe, ensuring optimal air movement and energy efficiency for larger spaces.
Ceiling Fans Are Cost-Effective
Because they use so much less electricity than air conditioners, ceiling fans are very cost-effective. In fact, ceiling fans are usually cheaper to operate than floor model fans. It costs about $2.53 to run a 50-inch fan for a month, 24 hours a day. It costs at least $36 to run a small, 12,000 BTU air conditioner for eight hours a day for a month. Ceiling fans are so cost-effective that you’ll earn back the money you spend to buy ceiling fans by using your ceiling fans to cut heating and cooling costs.
The Breeze from a Ceiling Fan Will Make You Feel a Lot Cooler
Some people are reluctant to invest in ceiling fans because they’re not sure the fan will make enough of a difference in how they feel to be worth it.
But the fact of the matter is that ceiling fans really can make you feel much cooler in the summer, and even warmer in the winter. Australian researchers found that a ceiling fan can raise your thermal tolerance at least 2 to 3 ℃ or 4℉. Study participants in Australia were able to cut their energy use by 76 percent just by using ceiling fans more and air conditioners less. They were also able to cut their greenhouse gas emissions from 5091 kilotons to 1208 kilotons.
Ceiling fans are useful in the winter, too. You can reverse the direction of the fan blades by flipping the switch on the side of the fan. This will turn the blades in a clockwise direction, which won’t create as much of a breeze. Instead, it will pull cold air up from the floor and push warm air down. Because warm air rises and sits near the ceiling if it’s not pushed back down by a ceiling fan, running a fan this way in the winter can make you feel a lot warmer. You’ll spend less money on heating because you won’t be cranking up the thermostat trying to feel warm. You can turn down the heat a little bit and still feel warm.
If you’re looking for home fixtures that can make your lifestyle more sustainable, you need to install some ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are a sustainable way to keep your home at a comfortable temperature year-round, without adjusting the thermostat. Stop relying on fossil fuels alone to heat or cool your home. Get ceiling fans.
Read Also: What Are the Common Air Conditioner Problems?
