It’s true that ceiling fans have long been a part of homes all around the world – helping those in hotter climates create more ambient living conditions for their daily lives. However, with the rise in cheap, affordable air conditioning, the presence of ceiling fans has become less and less.
While some consider fans to be inferior, there are others who think they actually help the existing air conditioning. But which exactly is true, and in what way can ceiling fans be used to improve air flow in the home?
How do ceiling fans work?
The way ceiling fans work is actually pretty simple, but it might not be in the exact way you might expect.
The science of ceiling fans
Ceiling fans work by spinning in a reverse counterclockwise motion, which in turn produces a feeling of coldness – specifically a wind chill factor – which makes you feel cooler.
However, ceiling fans are not actually producing cold air, and in fact, the temperature of the air has not technically changed at all.
The only thing that is actually happening – on a scientific level – is that the hot air directly around the target zone of the fan has been dispersed around the room, making the area that the breeze is touching to feel cooler.
They also help to evaporate some of the moisture on your skin – including that composed of sweat on hot days – making you feel cooler and more comfortable.
Do they make you cool?
While this description might not sound like they actually make you cooler, ceiling fans are generally quite effective, and have been used for decades. However, the sense of coolness that we get from ceiling fans is a direct result of the better-circulated air that they facilitate within an indoor space.
Do ceiling fans help A/C?
As mentioned above, it has become much more common in recent decades for people to opt for air conditioning – with many seeing it as quicker, more efficient, and more importantly colder.
However, this doesn’t mean that you need to remove your old ceiling fan – unless you want to of course – as they have surprisingly been shown to be useful for the further circulation of cold air that is produced by the air conditioning unit.
How Do Ceiling Fans Help A/C?
There are actually many ways that ceiling fans can be beneficial to your home – even when combined with an air conditioning unit – and some of these might even be less obvious than you would think.
Improved air circulation
The first point is the most obvious – improved air circulation. While air conditioners can already provide pretty good air circulation when installed, having a ceiling fan can not only make this quicker, but more effective, making sure each nook and cranny in your home is ambient and cool during the hot weather.
However, this is also a benefit for colder weather too, and a ceiling fan can be a good way of ensuring that the warm air produced by your built-in heating systems more effectively, heats the home.
Shortens A/C usage times
If you are on a timed system to save money and energy, then having a ceiling fan running at the same time can allow the system to reach the preset temperature sooner, allowing it to turn off quicker.
This is obviously better from a financial standpoint, but also for those looking to be more environmentally minded and ethical with their power usage.
Financially sound
Ceiling fans can also help you in several financial ways too.
Firstly, the added air circulation reduces the speed and power you will need to set your air conditioner too – meaning you can have it at a lower setting and potentially save money.
This is also combined with the fact that ceiling fans are notoriously cheaper than air conditioning units – at least when it comes to power consumed per hour – meaning that this combination can actually work out cheaper and more effective in the long run.
What are some other benefits of ceiling fans?
As well as this, there are also other notable benefits to installing a ceiling fan in your home.
Style
While style might not be everyone’s concern, we all like a visually pleasing living space. Ceiling fans can be a great part of creating this in our homes, namely because they are such a strong focal point within a space – something that can create a great visual aesthetic.
They are also an attractive feature to have in a room (if the space allows), and can really create a peaceful, relaxed, and somewhat bohemian vibe in any home.
Versatility
They are also very versatile, allowing you to adjust the cold and the heat in your home with little to no effort. Even with more modern and expensive equipment on the market, this tried and tested method still remains a firm favorite for many, and it really isn’t hard to see why.
Value for money
As we touched on above, ceiling fans are just really good value for money. Not only are they cheaper than other methods of air conditioning, but they are notably quieter, easier to maintain, more multifunctional, and altogether deliver a wider sense of usefulness to any family home or indoor living space.
Final thoughts
And there we have it, everything you need to know about ceiling fans, how they work, and whether or not they actually help air conditioning in the home.
It’s true that ceiling fans have long been a part of homes all around the world, allowing people to create ambient living temperatures in hotter climates. However, to properly make the most of them, it is important to know how exactly they work.
So if you want to know more about ceiling fans, then be sure to check out this handy guide. Something tells me you won’t be disappointed!
