You can improve cooling efficiency in your Hampton Roads-area home, but it could be costly, and might even require upgrading to a new high-efficiency air conditioning system. On the other hand, less expensive options are available, including using ceiling fans to relieve some of your A/C's workload. A ceiling fan blowing air onto occupants of a room creates a cooling effect that complements the work of your cooling system. When a ceiling fan's blade rotation is set to counter-clockwise, it blows air downward. The moving air helps remove heat energy from a person's skin, creating a cooling effect. This happens without any change in the room's temperature. It's similar to the wind-chill effect you experience in the winter: A stiff breeze can make 40 degrees feel like below freezing.
It's important to remember, however, that if nobody's in a room where the ceiling fan is operating, its cooling effect is nullified and you're just wasting electricity. Unless the fan is also creating desirable air circulation between rooms, turn if off when you leave the room. Ceiling fans also can aid heating in the wintertime. Turn the fan blade rotation switch (usually located on the fan housing) from counterclockwise to clockwise, and it will blow air upward. That upward breeze will displace warm air that collects near the ceiling, and push it down into the room where people can feel it. For more advice on improving cooling efficiency in your Hampton Roads-area home, please contact us at Russell's Heating & Cooling. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 757-750-1831. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “eak_kk/Pixabay”