Your Ceiling Fans And A/C: The Cooling's Better When You Run Them Together

August 23, 2012 | Blog

By adding a ceiling fan to your residential cooling system, you can increase the efficiency of your air conditioner and improve overall home comfort. Together, air conditioners and ceiling fans are more effective than either would be individually.

Ceiling fans improve cooling by boosting air circulation in the rooms where they are used. As this air moves, it makes contact with your body, cooling you directly. This wind-chill effect is similar to what you feel outdoors when you experience the refreshing effects of a breeze or the additional chill from a blast of winter air. The breeze from a ceiling fan can make you feel up to 4 degrees cooler than the temperature of the room.

You can increase indoor air circulation even more by using a larger ceiling fan or one with bigger blades. Rooms up to 225 square feet can easily accommodate fans between 35 and 44 inches in diameter. Bigger rooms will need equivalently larger ceiling fans to generate an adequate level of air circulation. Your local trusted HVAC source can help you choose a ceiling fan that works best for your home.

Install a ceiling fan in each room that needs additional cooling. Remember that ceiling fans should be placed only where there’s enough space and clearance for them. Fans placed too close to a wall can cause damage, while fans installed too low create the potential for injury. Make sure fan blades are 7-9 feet above the floor and about a foot below the ceiling. There should be at least 18 inches of clearance between the walls and the tips of the fan blades.

For the best cooling, set the ceiling fan to direct air downward toward the floor. These downdrafts improve general air circulation and help redistribute cool air that settles near the floor.

CCAC, Inc. provides quality HVAC services to customers in Corpus Christi and along the Coastal Bend. Contact us today for more information on how using a ceiling fan can improve your air conditioner’s efficiency and keep your home environment cooler and more comfortable.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Mathews CCAC Air Conditioning and Heating services Corpus Christi, TX. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!