Most homeowners in Modesto are familiar with the benefits of using ceiling fans in the summer to help cool their homes. But they are not accustomed to using those same ceiling fans in the winter months to lower their heating costs. You might think that having the added electricity demand of the fan would eliminate any savings, but when used correctly, your ceiling fan will help you lower your winter heating bills.
The Balloon Principle
Everyone will stop and stare when they see a hot air balloon floating effortlessly across the sky. And what keeps those balloons aloft is nothing more than hot air. The hot air rises and allows the balloon to drift higher and higher in the sky. Well, in your house, the hot air also rises and collects around the ceiling. But the problem is that you are sitting near the floor where all of the cold air has settled. So you turn up the thermostat on the furnace to create more warm air and a most costly energy bill.
The Solution
Set your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise and push the warm air back down to the floor for you to enjoy. Many people associate a fan with cooling the air. But in reality, all a fan does is circulate the air in the space. It does not alter the temperature of the air at all. So if it is moving warmed air from up near the ceiling, you will feel a warm breeze. Just set the fan to the low level and let it continue to churn that warm air back to you.
One More Important Rule
To enjoy the most significant reduction in your monthly heating cost, be sure only to use ceiling fans when you are in the room. Turn the fan on when you enter the room and off when you leave. Much like a lamp or other light source, there is no need to waste the energy to operate the fan when no one is in the room to enjoy the recirculated warm air.
Reset Your Thermostat
When you use a ceiling fan to recirculate warm air in your home, you can likely lower the setting on your thermostat a few degrees without noticing a change in your comfort level. Many homeowners find that they are setting the temperature a 2 to 5 degrees cooler and still feel very comfortable when recirculating or recycling the warmed air from the ceiling.
Not only are you reducing the energy consumption of your heating equipment, but you are also reducing the workload on the furnace. So you will save money each month and extend the life of your heating system. That can pay off in the form of even an additional year or two of use before having to replace the heating system.
Ceiling Fan Installation
If your home was not built with ceiling fans, the installation process could be more challenging. A ceiling fan needs to be wired into and mounted from an electrical junction box in the ceiling. If your home does not have a box located in the ceiling, you will need to have a licensed electrician extend the electrical wiring and install an electrical box before the ceiling fan can be installed.
Call (209) 396-4618 to request a free price quote for a ceiling fan installation from the licensed professionals at The Electric Company. Our experts are happy to answer any questions you have, install the electrical box and ceiling fan, and provide a warranty on all of our work. In addition, if you ever face an electrical emergency, we are here for you 24/7 to offer cost-effective solutions.
