With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start prepping your home for warmer weather. There are many useful DIY projects you can do around the house to make your home more energy efficient, but installing a ceiling fan might be one of the most energy efficient additions you can make.
When it comes to appliances and other devices at home, it’s important to understand wattage and what it means. A watt is a unit of power and it’s one of the ways you can determine how much power it will take to run an appliance (i.e. a dryer, refrigerator, ceiling fan, etc.). So for example, the average clothes dryer requires about 3,000 watts but can use up to 5,200 watts.
So in understanding the energy efficiency of a ceiling fan it’s good to compare it to another home cooling appliance: the air conditioner.
An air conditioner, depending on age and design, can use between 750 and 3,500 watts. In comparison, a ceiling fan, depending on its size and the speed settings, can use between 10 to 120 watts. When buying a new ceiling fan, wattage should be clearly marked on the box and included instruction manual. On a previously installed ceiling fan it should be located on a sticker located discreetly near the base.
So while air conditioners have their time and place during the hot summer months, ceiling fans are a more energy efficient option when choosing how to cool your home. Next time you’re thinking of turning on the A/C, try out the good old ceiling fan and see if that can’t cool you down.
