Ceiling Fans – A way to Save Money and Cool Your Home
Although ceiling fans first originated in hot, tropical countries and were in widespread use in the early 1900′s, today they have given way to the air conditioner. While more and more people have in the past moved away from ceiling fans with the advent of air conditioning, the ceiling fan is making an important comeback. This is due to the continuing escalating cost of utilities and the expense of running a central air conditioning system. 
People are beginning to understand that comfort doesn’t need to mean cold. It also means that they’re able to save significantly on the monthly electric bills. How much savings of course depends on local utility cost and the amount of time an air conditioning system is in operation. Though, a 2-3 dollar per DAY savings is not unreasonable if a household can use ceiling fans a major part of the day instead of running the air conditioning system.
A ceiling fan however is much more than an air movement device. They’re beautiful and can be ordered to perfectly fit into any decor or room of your home. Ceiling fans can be a great way to increase the energy savings in your home while providing a comfortable living environment. Offering more features and functionality than a standard light, most ceiling fans can easily be installed to replace your light fixture. Depending on the height of the ceiling, the unit can be mounted close, with the motor almost touching the ceiling or with a matching decorator bar to allow the unit to hang down into the room a little more if the ceiling height can handle it. The air movement naturally cools people and makes them comfortable without resorting to the expense of cooling through a compressor air conditioning unit.
Ceiling fan energy efficiency can vary greatly depending on the unit and the accessories that might be added to them. Additional energy savings can be had by simply turning the ceiling fan and lights off when you leave the room. Using the lights and fan in a reasonable manner: constantly adjusting the speed of the blades and turning the lights on and off repeatedly will use more energy than letting the fan run at a constant level. Even more energy savings can be made by purchasing a ceiling fan with an Energy Star rating which can move the air up to 20% more efficiently than a standard fan. Many leading manufacturers offer them with the Energy Star ratings and prominently display it.
Many people wrongly assume that a ceiling fan is only good in the summer. Actually most fans have a reverse switch. This allows the fan to either pull air from the floor area or push air from the ceiling. So in summer, you would want air movement from low to high but in winter, with hot air rising, you would naturally want the warmer air at the ceiling to be pushed down to warm the whole room. Ceiling fans also are great to use anywhere there’s people or living spaces including bedrooms, living and family rooms and even out on the backyard patio or deck.
So in the end, a ceiling fan can be a great way to add a nice decorating touch to your home while saving big dollars on that monthly electric bill. It’s not unreasonable to save the price of the ceiling fan in one summer, just on the electric bill alone. With your home more open, natural ventilation will make it more pleasant and enjoyable both inside and out.
About the Count Me In! Community Challenge
It recently took place in Ontario on August 14th.
The Count Me In! Community Challenge, has taken place on August 14, over the last several years to remember the anniversary of the North American blackout in 2003.
According to their web site the “Count Me In!
Community Challenge is comprised of two challenges:
• The highest percentage drop in electricity consumption on August 14, and
• The highest per capita participation in the Count Me In! pledge drive between now and August 14.
The Community Challenge is a joint initiative of the OPA, the City of Woodstock – which has led a municipal Blackout Day Challenge for the past several years – the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA).”
It is a challenge between the cities of Ontario to see who can save the most energy on that particular day. Though it is all taken as a fun challenge between the cities it is a serious effort to raise awareness of the need to be conscientious of the way we use our energy resources.
On their site they list 100 ways to save energy and below I have listed their top 10.
For Homeowners
1 Schedule an energy audit of my home — and act on the results.
The Government of Ontario will help fund an audit and related retrofits to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Get more information from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure at www.homeenergyontario.ca or by calling 1-888-668-4636
2 Have my central air conditioning and furnace serviced.
Use a licensed HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) professional to ensure maximum performance.
3 Clean my air conditioning unit’s condenser of dirt and debris.
4 Clean or replace my furnace filter (especially, if I have central A/C).
Change or clean it monthly through the summer and every three months in winter.
5 Install a programmable thermostat.
A properly set programmable thermostat can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10 per cent.
6 Improve the insulation of my home.
7 Reduce air leakages in my home.
Caulk around windows, apply good quality weather stripping around doors, and install foam gaskets behind the cover plates of lighting fixtures, wall switches and receptacle face plates, especially on exterior facing walls.
8 Sign up for peaksaver® (if available where I live).
Allow your utility to turn down your air conditioner for short periods during hot summer weekdays when the demand for electricity is high. (Visit everykilowattcounts.ca to find out more about the program and the cash incentives).
9 Right-size my refrigerator.
Even an energy-efficient model can’t give you maximum savings if it’s too big for your needs.
10 Get rid of my old energy-guzzling second fridge.
Take advantage of the Great Refrigerator Round Up! (Visit everykilowattcounts.ca to find out more about the program).
What about you? Are you ready for the challenge to save energy? Yes I know this year’s challenge is over and you may not even live in Ontario so what can you do? You can do a lot. Start at home and reduce your energy consumption. Have a friend or neighborhood challenge. Have fun but get started.
To check out the complete list go to countmeinontario.ca