It’s almost impossible to find a
modern home today without ceiling fans. They have been around for quite some time, but gained
additional popularity in residential housing during the 1980s. Before this time
they were expensive and mainly seen in commercial applications such as
restaurants and warehouses. The
residential fan’s newest feature was a switch to reverse blade direction to
push air down in the summer and pull air up in the winter. This was somewhat of
a “sales pitch” intended to give the
fans a year round purpose and justify the cost, but most now agree that they
are most effective in summer only.
Today a fairly high quality ceiling fan
(with light kit) can be purchased for about the same price as a nice light
fixture alone. While
most consider them purely decorative, a ceiling fan can help you save money on
your cooling bill. Sitting under a whirling fan can actually make the air that
touches your skin feel 4-5 degrees cooler and this will often allow homeowners
to set the thermostat slightly higher. A
typical rule of thumb is that you will save 1% on your energy bill for every 1
degree higher you set the thermostat!
One last note on ceiling fans deals
with their installation. If you have a very tall or vaulted ceiling, consider lowering the fan
closer to the living area. Down rods are readily available in several colors at
hardware and home improvement stores and are quite simple to install. Don’t get
it too close, but the closer the fan is to the occupants the more air they will
feel. But when you are away, turn the fan off. Remember…Ceiling fans cool
people not rooms.
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