Now that we are getting the super heat in Texas most people are turning on the air conditioners full blast. I am off work now (perks of being a teacher!!!!) and since I have been home I noticed that the air conditioners in my building are going all day long….even though I see the other residents leaving in the morning for work.
Now I know that some of these people have children but others do not. So why are they leaving the air conditioning running all day?
And I know that they are not cycling the air conditioning by lowering the thermostats because the machines NEVER go off. When I am at home I run the fans to keep the air circulating so that I can turn the thermostat down (actually it is up since it is a higher temperature) and not use the air conditioning so much.
Using the fan makes the cool air move and allows my air conditioning to cycle off more often because the air in my apartment is so much cooler. It is cheaper to run the fans than to just have the air conditioning on all the time so turn that fan on and save some money!
Hi I am from Malaysia….I guess it’s global warming…. coz here is damn hot too… Most people aren’t aware of your smart way of getting a cooler condition n saving energy at the same time I guess…. thanks for the info….
Great tip! You do have to watch out with some fans, especially the high velocity ones. They are absolute energy hogs, consuming 150 watts or more. Yes this is less than a 600 watt window air conditioner, but the real danger is using both.
Best bet is to use a ceiling fan to circulate cooled air, set on low to medium (only uses about 20-30 watts of power) , draw the shades or curtains to reduce solar heating, and turn up the thermostat on the A/C a little.
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Right On! I use fans in my house as well. I keep the thermostat at 78 and I am fine. when I leave during the day I turn the fans on low and turn the temp to 80 and that is only to keep the humidity down. I live in Florida and it can be difficult!
When it gets really hot fans just don’t put out the kinda cool air like ac’s can put out. Fans are cool for lower 80’s temps but when you reach the 90’s fans don’t work well.
I sometimes use them 50/50 to save a few bucks on the bill.
Yes.. energy costs really suck. Those living in California are lucky… seeing as its always in the 70s and their energy costs are not too high either direction. I think it’s a good idea to use a fan. Actually it’s a good idea to buy a window fan. During the nighttime they can really cool the room. You can then turn off the air conditioner fully during the night, The in the day you can use the air conditioner/fan combo.
-Randy
For me this one of those I am willing to pay a little more for. I can not bear the heat and must have the ac on.
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This is a great tip! I live in a north-facing apartment in Seattle, so frankly using air conditioning is a pretty rare necessity. But when it’s hot, it’s hot. During those 3 weeks a year I tend to keep the shades closed and put a bowl of ice in front of the fan. That extra touch tends to cool things off in a hurry – well, that and a nice cold beer!
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it is good to use fan rather than Ac, in this way it would be saving of money and global warming is also in consideration.
Also a Texan, so I’m living the heat wave with you! Wet a small towel and drape it over the back of your neck, and the fan will feel that much better.
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You’re absolutely right about using fans. Letting your ACs run all day leads to a drain on resources and it puts a strain on your pocketbook, too! I’m a huge proponent of green technology and believe it’s our insurance for the future and saving our resources but in the meantime people can make small changes that make a difference – like turning off electric appliances when you’re not around or not using them. Simple but it works.
Jerry
Yes indeed, Fans are more electricity saver than conditioners, but they do not provide the necessary coldness.
Cool tips, i think the usage of fans should increase rapidly in this age of global warming. People should be sensitized how the usage of ACs vitiate the environment even though we might be cozier for short time. This recession period is the apt period to have this revulsion.
Great article. I just hope by reading this some of the readers will reflect on this and try to save energy as well. I have an air conditioning but I tend not to use it because I can live with a simple fan, not unless I really want a good night rest and Need to relieve stress.
I am in agreement that it is more economical to use the fan. What I would also advice that in the days when leaving persons can open the windows so that breeze can enter the house. Now that children are at home they can close the windows when dusk starts.
We’re having a heatwave in the UK at the moment – just watch the weather at Wimbledon at the moment! However, our heatwave means reaching temperatures of around 30C, so I expect that’s nothing compared to what you’ll get in Texas!