Should You Run an Air Conditioner and a Ceiling Fan? | Skip to main content

Ceiling fans are wonderful inventions. Developed in the 1880s to cool businesses and factories, these devices made their way to homes in the 1920s. They can help keep you cool in the stifling Houston heat by using the same principle as wind chill. Windy days in the winter are much colder than days that are not windy but are the same temperature. Essentially, cold air that is moving feels colder.

But should you run your air conditioner and ceiling fan at the same time? Is it more energy efficient? The short answer is yes, but there is a right way to do it to increase the ceiling fan’s efficiency and save you money on your energy bill.

Ceiling Fan with AC Cooling

Did you know your ceiling fan runs in two different directions? All ceiling fans have a little switch that changes the circular direction of the fan blades. It’s usually located on the base of the fan.

How do you know if the fan is going in the right direction? Stand underneath it, if you feel a breeze, you’re all set. If not, flip the switch. You should feel a breeze when the blades get up to speed.

Turn on the Fan and Turn Up the Thermostat

In order to run your ceiling fan effectively with your air conditioner, you’ll want to turn the fan on and turn the thermostat on your air conditioner up a couple of degrees. In fact, you can turn your thermostat up about four degrees without any reduction in comfort. Your fan will circulate the cool air the air conditioner pumps into your home, but it won’t have to run as much to do the same amount of cooling.

Turn off Fans in Unoccupied Rooms

While you can run ceiling fans in empty rooms to keep the air moving, it’s not necessary. In fact, running a fan in an empty room will only increase your energy bill unnecessarily. It’s not actually the ceiling fan that lowers your energy bill. Turning the thermostat up is the money saver. The fan makes the cooling your air conditioner provides more effective because it keeps the cool air moving.

But if you are in need of AC repair services or simple AC maintenance, a ceiling fan won’t help very much in the heat of a Houston summer. If your AC is on the fritz, call Custom Air Systems today to get the AC repair you need from an HVAC technician you can trust.

(281) 466-4297