When it comes to summertime in Chicagoland, one of the biggest concerns any homeowner has is how to keep their living space cool. It’s easy to just flip a switch and blast the air conditioning all summer, but that won’’t just make your electric bills skyrocket — it also puts a lot of stress on your electrical system. But as Chicagoland’s electrical experts, Arnold Electrical Services knows one simple item that can make a huge difference in your home’s electrical bill.
Become A Fan Of Your Electric Fan
Electric fans are a simple way to keep cool air circulating through your home without taxing your air conditioning unit. They’re cheap, portable and you probably even already have one lying around. Many people who use them aren’t unleashing their full power — and we don’t mean by turning them up to the highest setting.
Not So Fast
It may be tempting to crank an electric fan all the way up to really get the wind blowing, but the most efficient way to use one is to set them at the lowest speed possible. As long as you can feel the breeze, your fan is doing all it can. When you turn your fan as high as it can go, there may be more air moving around, but it comes with more heat, more noise, and higher electricity usage.
Keep It Clean
One of the best ways to make sure an electric fan is functioning at its best is to keep the blades clean. Not only can a build up of dust and debris spread impurities around your home, it also makes your fan function worse.
The slipperiness of your fan’s blades are what allow it to move the air around your room, and any sort of accumulation can stand in the way of it doing its job. Most traditional fans let you remove a grate to wipe down the blades yourself, but more complex fans with concealed blades may require you to contact the manufacturer.
Use Your Window To Lower Bills
Another easy alternative to air conditioning is to simply open a window — but the trick is to be smart about it. The view on a nice summer day might be nice, but if you’re really concerned with lowering the indoor temperature, keep your blinds, windows and doors shut during the day to keep the cool air in and the hot air out.
But when the sun goes down, that’s when your shades and windows can go up. You can really maximize the air flow through your home with a pair of electric fans. Place one fan blowing OUT of the window to get any hot air out back outdoors, and another fan blowing in to bring in the cool night air.
Upgrade Your Breaker
When it all comes down to it, air conditioning is still one of the best ways to keep any home cool, and Arnold Electrical Services experts can take a look at assessing your electrical system to ensure it’s functioning as efficiently as possible. If you have an older home, a breaker upgrade could make your existing AC unit perform better — and for less money every month.
