Fans can really help homeowners increase the energy efficiency and savings of your air conditioning systems, whether it’s ductless air conditioning or central air conditioning.

The experts at Energy.gov even encourage Long Island homeowners to use fans: “Consider using an interior fan along with your…air conditioner to spread the cooled air through your home without greatly increasing your power use.”

All circulating fans – which include ceiling fans, table fans, floor fans and fans mounted to poles or walls – create a wind chill effect that’ll make you more comfortable in your home, even if it’s already cooled by air conditioning, according to Energy.gov.

The cooling systems experts at Tragar Oil, your Long Island green energy company, agree, and when they’re used properly, they can also reduce the energy costs associated with running your AC systems.

Ceiling Fans and Your Air Conditioning System

Out of all of types of circulating fans, ceiling fans usually work the best with your air conditioning system because they’re affordable, easy to install and cost less than a penny an hour to run while efficiently circulating the cool air from your cooling system throughout your home.

Some experts believe when you use ceiling fans in conjunction with your air conditioning system, you should spin them upward to bring the cool air up and circulate it properly throughout the space. Other experts believe this isn’t necessary, and say you should spin them downward toward you to enhance the cooling draft or wind chill effect they provide.

However, the temperature of your cooling system is more important than which way you spin your ceiling fans in the summer. Experts agree you must raise your thermostat when you run your air conditioning to realize maximum cooling and reap the corresponding savings.

“A ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort,” according to Energy.gov. In fact, you can easily save an estimated six to eight percent on your cooling bill for each degree higher than 78°F you’re comfortably able to set your AC in the summer.

Cooling Tips

To accomplish this, make sure your ceiling fans are energy-efficient (ENERGY STAR-rated) with powerful, high-performance motors, multiple-speed settings and blades proportionate to the room size to move enough air and allow you to raise your thermostat several degrees without sacrificing comfort.

Other tips for buying and installing ceiling fans that the cooling experts at Tragar Oil want to share with homeowners from Energy.gov include ensuring the ceiling in the room where the fan is installed is at least eight feet high. Homeowners should also be aware “fans work best when the blades are at seven to nine feet from the floor and 10 to 12 inches below the ceiling,” according to Energy.gov.

In addition, ceiling fans further allow you to give the fans in your AC units a rest because you can set the units’ fans on “auto” and use ceiling fans in occupied rooms.However, because fans cool people not rooms, always make sure to turn off ceiling fans in unoccupied rooms. If you don’t, then you might be adding to your cooling bills this summer instead of subtracting from them.

Tragar Home Services is Standing By For Your AC Needs

Contact Tragar Home Services today to learn more energy-saving tips. Our green energy experts can answer any questions about how to save energy and save money, and even discuss upgrading to ductless AC. Don’t forget to ask about our free, no-obligation quote!