In a blog I posted on Earth Day I provided a list of ways you could make your home a bit “greener.” One of the suggestions was to add ceiling fans to rooms that heat up when the mercury rises (having them around may help you resist the urge to flip on the air conditioner).
Ceiling fans help the environment and your pocketbook–if you buy a good one that is energy-efficient. Studies show an energy efficient ceiling fan can reduce your electricity bill up to 40% in the summer and 10% in the winter. What’s more, they are readily available in a variety of home-improvement stores—-just look for the fans that have earned the Energy Star label, a national symbol for energy efficiency developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (I’m sure you’ve seen the Star sticker on clothes dryers and refrigerators). According to the EPA, ceiling fans that have earned the Energy Star label are 10% more efficient than standard ceiling fans, which means you can expect to save between $13 to $24 a year on your utility bills.
However, the key to maximizing your savings is making sure you use your ceiling fans properly. The EPA has tips on ways to operate your ceiling fan correctly they include: remembering to switch the fan and light off when you leave a room (unless you intend to return within a few minutes); reversing the blade rotation during the winter months; and hanging the fan so that its blades are at least one foot below the ceiling, seven feet above the floor, and two feet from the nearest wall.
Several months ago I posted a blog that contained remarks about ceiling fans being eyesores (that’s I was taught by the designers on TLC’s “Trading Spaces”). However, as I explained in that blog, with the vast number of ceiling fans on the market it’s a breeze (sorry) to find a fan that will coordinate with your home’s décor. These days the options in style, size and price are seemingly endless. Take a stroll around a lighting store and you’ll find ceiling fans made of brass, iron, copper, nickel, pewter, chrome, black, vibrant colors, oak, and rosewood.
In my next blog I will provide suggestions for choosing the most efficient fan.
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