An evening walk in the summertime air is like a sweet kiss. But inside, summer air can feel stale—and sometimes even warmer than it is outside.
When it’s warm out, consider running fans before—and even while—you run your air cooling system. “Lazy air” inside can make you feel too warm. Moving air makes you feel cooler by moving the air closest to your body—the air your skin has already warmed—away from your body. It can also lower the ambient temperature of your home by several degrees.
When you feel cooler, it may encourage you to raise the set point on your thermostat or use your air conditioner less, which saves you money. You can encourage yourself to delay turning your cooling system on by turning on ceiling fans or free-standing fans around your home at the start of the warm season.
But fans aren’t just a tactic to delay the use of your cooling system. Well-circulated air maintains a more consistent temperature, lowering your energy costs. So it’s good to keep the air moving, even when your air conditioner is on.
Ceiling fans make it simpler to move the air in rooms you’re using. Invest in fans and you can use them for many years. Be sure you flip the switch on your ceiling fans to make the blades point down (with the blades rotating counterclockwise) so they move air directly across your skin. (When the blades face up, they act more as air distributors—a better option in cooler months to circulate warm air effectively.)
Here’s to a comfortable, cool summer season!