Ceiling fans are found in most New Mexico homes and often used to circulate air inside the home or office. But how do they work to cool the air?
Ceiling fans produce a wind chill effect. Imagine being outside on a chilly day and the cold breeze makes you shiver. That’s caused from the air moving across your skin, evaporating moisture and reducing your body temperature. It’s the same principal inside your home when a ceiling fan is in use. The air moving over your skin produces a slight cooling effect.
Fans can also help a room seem cooler by redistributing air within the room. Warm air rises, so the cooler air is always at the lowest point of a room. A ceiling fan can pull the coolest air higher so it’s around your body or head instead of at your feet. If you have hot spots in the home, a fan can also redistribute the cooler air.
If you run a ceiling fan in rooms where you spend the most time, such as your bedroom or living room, you can turn the thermostat up a degree or two. The wind chill effect of the ceiling fan will use less energy than the refrigerated air system and compensate for the higher thermostat selling. Energy Star estimates that homeowners can cut their air conditioning costs as much as 14% by turning the thermostat down several degrees and using ceiling fans.
If your home needs new or replacement ceiling fans installed, the team of electricians at Affordable Service can help. This summer, use fans when you’re home to help cool your living space; if you encounter an A/C or swamp cooler that stop working, our HVAC techs are available for repairs and replacements. We’ve been serving Rio Rancho and Albuquerque area homeowners since 1986 and we’ll be here when you need us.
