You Should Turn on Your Ceiling Fan Every Time You Use Your AC

New York Times

a day ago

Lots of factors determine the size of your energy bill in the summer, including whether you use window ACs, central AC, or mini splits, as well as how many window AC or split units you have, how well your home is insulated, the average electricity rate where you live, and of course, how hot it gets.
A ceiling fan has its own variables, such as the size of its blades (the longer the blade, the more energy the fan uses) and how efficient its motor is. Even with so many variables, however, running a ceiling fan and raising your AC's temperature setting by a few degrees will use less energy in virtually any situation.
Here's just one example: Our favorite budget window AC, the Frigidaire FHWW084TE1, uses 714 watts of power, according to its online specifications. Meanwhile, the Westinghouse Comet 52-Inch Indoor Ceiling Fan, a fan that we recommend, uses only 16 watts of power.
Running a ceiling fan and raising your AC by a few degrees uses less energy in virtually any situation.
Even if you have an ancient, inefficient ceiling fan, the energy savings can still be meaningful. According to Schiavon, 'an old fan uses maybe 100 watts' of power, which is much more efficient than a modern AC unit.
As for how much money you can save, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority states, 'Each degree above 75°F that you set your air conditioner's thermostat saves you 3 percent of the energy used to cool your home.' So if you set your AC to 79 degrees — 4 degrees higher than the recommended 75 degrees — because you're also running your ceiling fan, that would shave about 12% off your bill, with only pennies per day added back onto your bill by the fan.
That's similar to the findings from a study of residences in Florida (co-authored by Parker), which found that 'using ceiling fans combined with raising a home's temperature 2° F will generate about a 14% net savings in annual cooling energy use (subtracting out the ceiling fan energy and accounting for internally released heat).'
However, Liam explains that the cost savings might not be as much, depending on where your fans and your ACs are located: 'If the fan isn't in the same room as the thermostat, it might not help in terms of energy savings,' he says.
Perhaps the best thing about a fan is that practically any model can provide a significantly more pleasant environment amid sweltering heat, even if it's not the most efficient fan. As Parker said, 'it's all about the air motion where you are.'
This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Maxine Builder. We've spent years testing window ACs to find the coolest, quietest options for your home.
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