Who else has been enjoying the gorgeous spring weather this week? Waterloo Region residents can finally go outside, enjoy fun outdoor activities and soak up some vitamin D! Aside from this, spring opens up many opportunities for reducing your home energy bill.
The drastic improvement in weather means you’ll be using the furnace less and might even consider turning on the air conditioning soon. Yipee! But before you blast your cooling system, you may want to consider opting for ceiling fans first.
Why? Let us explain.
Are Ceiling Fans Effective?
Did you know that ceiling fans are considered one of the most effective forms of indoor circulation? That’s because they can effectively circulate the air in a room to create a nice, cool draft. If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. In temperate climates, similar to Waterloo Region’s spring season, ceiling fans may allow you to avoid using your AC altogether.
Just remember to turn fans off when you’re not in the room — the cooling effect created by the breeze only works for people, not the room itself. It’s a good idea to use fans in the bathroom to dissipate heat and humidity as well.
How Can I Use Ceiling Fans To Save Money?
Fact: Ceiling fans use far less energy per hour than AC units. That means ceiling fans may be able to make you more comfortable on their own, helping you avoid turning on the AC and save money on your energy bills!
For example, running your AC unit for three hours a day for a year uses 3,832.500 kWh, while a ceiling fan only uses 19.71-109.5 kWh. With the average price of energy at 12.1 cents/kWh, that means using your fans instead of your AC could save you more than $400 per year (or close to 41 cents per hour) (HVAC.com).
Consider how a combination of ceiling fans and AC can save you more than just turning on the AC alone. If you feel cooler when you have your ceiling fans on, you can keep the AC turned up to a higher temperature, meaning it will run less often. The less your AC unit runs, the less money it will cost you! Put simply, ceiling fans save money.
When buying ceiling fans, look for the ENERGY STAR label. Fans that earn the label move air 20% more efficiently, on average, than standard models.
Take advantage of spring! Let the nice weather do its work to lower your home energy use.
Afterglow. Water, warmth, well-being.