Air Conditioning and Fans - How Much Do You Know?

It's that time of year when our thoughts turn to fans and air conditioning, and many homeowners have questions about which is best and how to use each most beneficially in the home.  Here are some tips and general information about both fans and A/C.

Whole-House Fan.  Whole-house fan is a large ventiliating fan, typically mounted in a ceiling between living space and the attic.  You'll generally see them in the ceiling of the hallway leading to the bedrooms. The fan draws warm air out of the living space and exhaustts it to the attic, where it goes out through the attic vents. To make the most effective ventilation, windows in the lower part of the house should be partially opened to bring cooler air into the home and create a flow through the house.

Ceiling Fans.  Ceiling fans can help make a home more comfortable, either alone or in combinatino with air conditioning.  They increase air movement, making the air feel cooler.  Contrary to popular belief, they do not actually cool the air, they just move it around, so there is no need to run them in rooms that are unoccupied or when you aren't home.

EER and SEER Air Conditioner Ratings.  Both EER (energy Efficiency Ratio) and SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) are indicators of how efficient an air conditioner unit is; the higher the number, the more efficient it is and the lower the operating cost.  SEER is used with central air systems, while EER is used with room air conditioners.  While the current minimum requirement is 10.0 SEER, for new central air systems, SEERs of 12 or higher are generally considered high-efficiency units. For room units, EERs of 11 or higher are considered high-efficiency.  The higher ratings will result in lower operating costs, especially if you use your central air conditioning a lot.  Units with SEERs as high as 15 are now available.  It is best to get a properly sized unit, whether a room unit or central air system. Although a larger unit may run for shorter periods of time, it will use more electricity due to its larger size. It may also fail to properly dehumidify your home.  A properly sized unit will control both temperature and humidity, making the home more comfortable.

Most Efficient Thermostat Setting.  There is no specific setting that will work for everyone, in every home, in every state.  Each degree you raise your thermostat can help you save up to 5% in cooling costs. Many professionals suggest setting the thermostat to 80 degrees when you are away, and set it to the highest comfortable setting when you are home.