Air conditioners run most days during the summer in Southern California, and they also run frequently during other times of the year. This means that a large chunk of the annual energy budget for your home goes toward the electricity that powers the AC. However, you can help rein in air conditioning costs thanks to the installation of ceiling fans.
How ceiling fans help keep people in your home cool
Ceiling fans perform a simple job: they move air currents around a room. They do not actually lower the temperature in a room, but they do make people inside it feel cooler. The reason for this is that the air currents help remove the heat the clings close to the human body. This allows the body to release more heat, cooling it down. Thanks to an effective ceiling fan, the temperature will feel around 8° lower than it actually is—and this can mean the difference in whether the air conditioner comes on or not.
So how much energy will this save you? Studies have shown that effective use of ceiling fans and smart application of the thermostat (i.e. raising the thermostat setting or turn the AC off each time the ceiling fans are in operation; making sure that ceiling fans are turned off when rooms are empty) can save a household up to 40% of its annual energy bills.
Something else to keep in mind: A ceiling fan can help during colder weather as well. By reversing the direction of the fan blades, you can have the ceiling fans push down hot air from the top of the room and more evenly distribute it through the space. This is known as destratifying the air.
If you are interested in having ceiling fans installed in your home, call on professionals to do the work and help you get the most effective and energy-efficient performance from the new fans. Kilowatt Heating, Air Conditioning and Electrical offers ceiling fan installation in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.