Homeowners and business owners often wonder whether running a fan is a better option compared to having an air conditioner. In terms of energy consumption, a fan consumes less energy than an AC, but in terms of ability to cool a room, an air conditioner can cool a room more effectively. The following is an in-depth look at these two machines to help you decide if fans or air conditioners are the best option for your specific situation.
Fans
A fan is a device that is powered by an electric motor. It works by drawing air towards the device. Ideally, fans should be hanged from the ceiling. This means that the device will be driving air upwards. Since warm air is lighter than cold air, it will be the first to rise up and cold air will sweep in to replace the space left by the rising warm air. As you can see, fans only facilitate movement or circulation of air to bring about natural cooling. Unfortunately, this principle of operation will not be of much help when both indoor and outdoor temperatures are high.
Air Conditioners
AC machines have a refrigeration system that helps to cool air. These devices also have blowers to help with circulation of air in the room. While fans only help with circulation, air conditioning systems not only circulate air, but also provide some cooling.
In terms of energy consumption and cost of operation, however, fans are much cheaper to operate. For instance, a typical fan running for 12 hours every day will only cost you just $3.5 per month to operate, based on the current unit cost of electricity, which stands at 12 cents per unit. On the other hand, the smallest AC unit, a window AC system, costs around $50 monthly to operate for 12 hours every day. A hybrid system consisting of both an AC unit and a fan offers the best results. This means that the AC will be responsible for cooling while the fans will be circulating the cool air throughout the house, leading to even temperature distribution.
If you want to install an AC system in your home, it is important that you hire a professional to help you identify the most suitable fans or air conditioning unit for your home. Call MightyServ or fill out the contact form for us to help you with all your heating and air conditioning needs.
