SAN ANTONIO – As ERCOT continues to ask Texans to conserve power this week, your ceiling fan can help you keep your cool and saving money, too.
To keep her home comfortable, Paula Machado uses three ceiling fans plus a little air conditioning.
“We have ceiling fans on all day long in the entire house,” she said. “It’s important because it saves our electric bill somewhat, and it really helps extend the life of our AC.”
Ceiling fans cost very little to run and when used with the AC, you can raise the thermostat by about four degrees and feel just as cool, according to Consumer Reports.
Energy Star ceiling fans are 60% more efficient than others.
To optimize your fan power, place it at the right height, about eight to nine feet off the floor.
A 52-inch fan is best for large rooms from 225 to 400 square feet. A 42- to 44-inch fan is effective in rooms from 144 to 225 square feet.
During summer, be sure the blades spin in a counter-clockwise direction. That pushes a cool air draft down.
Fans cool people and do not actually change the temperature of the room, so be sure to turn them off when you leave the room.