Ceiling Fans Add Comfort and Save Money – ConsumerReports.org

Unlike air conditioners, ceiling fans dont lower a rooms temperature or remove humidity from the air. But you can boost your comfort leveland save energy and moneyby using ceiling fans and turning off the air conditioning when possible or by turning up the thermostat a few degrees and letting the fan do the rest.

Consumer Reports doesn't rate ceiling fans because in our past tests, most ceiling fans performed similarly on low and high speeds. But we did find some features that make a difference if you plan to buy a ceiling fan.

Ceiling fans come in a variety of styles and finishes. In the past, we tested a number of three-speed, 52-inch-diameter fans, the most popular size. We found that spending more didnt guarantee better performance but did get you fancier finishes on the motor cover and blades. We also learned to predict how noisy a fan would be just by looking at its design. Heres what else our tests revealed:

Fans save energy.The recommended indoor temperature for summer is 78 F, but some people set the thermostat much cooler. According toEnergy Star, you can save 3 to 5 percent on air-conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat. Using a ceiling fan, which costs little to run, can make you feel up to 4 F cooler. (Don't forget to turn off the fan when you leave the roomfans cool you, not the room.)

Airflow and blade shape matter.Look at cubic feet per minute (CFM) numbers on the box or on the manufacturer's or retailer's website to get an idea of how well the ceiling fan moves air. A higher number means more air movement, but dont fret over small differences. Our tests showed comparable airspeed from fans rated from 5,000 to 5,600 CFM. Fans with the most airflow also made the most noise, but it was wind noise and fluttering, not motor noise. And be wary of fans with large blades that have ridges, bumps, or other surface texture; those often make more noise on high than fans with smooth blades.

Wobble can be fixed.Most fans come with balancing kits, a combination of weights that you attach to the blades to make up for slight differences in blade weight and removable clips that help you determine where to place the weights. You can eliminate most of the wobbling with such a kit.

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Ceiling Fans Add Comfort and Save Money - ConsumerReports.org