Published: July 28, 2008 08:23 am      

EXTENSION UPDATE

A fan of saving energy

By Katherine Allen

County Extension Director



The dog days of summer bring to mind sitting in a rocker on the front porch drinking lemonade with an overhead fan to beat the heat and keep off the bugs. Fans are a great way to make those underneath feel cooler. They create a breeze to make room occupants feel more comfortable.

One of the myths about ceiling fans is that they lower the temperature in a room. Ceiling fans do not lower the actual room temperature. Instead they blow the air across your skin evaporating the moisture and making you feel two to four degrees cooler. The good news is even though they don’t cool the air (they just move it!) appropriately placed fans can reduce your air conditioning bill. With a ceiling fan running, you can raise your thermostat setting by up to four degrees during the cooling season with no reduction in comfort. Increasing the room temperature by even two degrees can cut your cooling costs by at least four to six percent, and in some cases by as much eight percent.

The most frequent question I receive about fans is whether to keep fans running. No, don’t keep them running because fans cool people, not rooms. Ceiling fans are less costly than air conditioning, but they still use electricity. Running several fans 24 hours a day can add up quickly, especially if no one is home to benefit from them. So only run the fan when there is someone in the room.

Something you may not be aware of when purchasing a fan, is to check manufacturers’ Websites to look for fan grades. Performance-grade fans have powerful motors designed for continuous, quiet operation. These are generally the most expensive models. Medium-grade models are designed to run twelve or less hours per day, while economy models run 8 hours or less per day. So consider fan grades when you think about whether the fan will be installed in a low use area or in a “continuously on” room!

Just a note: if you will be installing in an outdoor or high humidity area, make sure the fan is UL-listed with a “damp” rating. If you are mounting a fan where it may come into direct contact with water, as on the aforementioned porch with rockers and lemonade, be sure it has a UL “wet” rating.

Some other things to consider when purchasing fans, includes blades. Blades should be sealed or finished to prevent moisture-caused damage such as warping, peeling or tarnishing, especially if the fan will be used in a high-humidity situation. Look for energy star rated fans (see illustration). The Florida Solar Energy Center did some testing with airplane propeller manufacturer to look at blade design to push more air. These products are now available on the market. The pitch and balance of blades is more important than the number of blades. The American Lighting Association recommends that fan blades be at a 12-15° angle for optimal air circulation.

Installing a ceiling fan not only adds a decorator’s touch to a room, but it is also saves you money while you are cooling down on these sizzling July and August afternoons.

All programs and related activities sponsored for, or assisted by, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are open to all persons with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, or sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations.

For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact our office at least five working days prior to the program so that proper consideration may be given to the request. Our phone number is 386-362-2771. For the hearing impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8771.

For more information about fans or energy efficiency, contact Katherine at the UF/IFAS Suwannee County Extension office 386/362-2771. Extension is a cooperative effort of the University of Florida/IFAS and the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners to bring research-based information to our community.