Circulating Fans

Circulating Fans Can Save Homeowners Money

Fans have been used to provide cooling to people for thousands of years. It’s not surprising that a cooling method as simple as moving air around a room has endured as one of the most efficient ways to keep homeowners and workers comfortable. There are different types of fans on the market today, but the simplest model—the circulating fan—is considered one of the most cost-effective and energy-efficient methods of cooling in moderate heat.

The term “air circulating fan” (or circulator fan) refers to any type of axial propeller fan that creates a wind-chill effect to provide comfort. Circulating fans include ceiling fans, floor fans, and table fans. They can also be wall- or floor-mounted, permanently installed, or portable for cooling in any type of environment. Circulating fans can be used alone or in conjunction with an air conditioning unit to circulate air.

When used with an air conditioning system, a circulating fan can keep energy costs down or, in moderate heat, allow for air conditioning to be turned off completely. By adding fans to each room and using open windows as a source of fresh air, homeowners and business owners can save money over the cost of central air. Circulating fans also make heating more efficient by circulating air around rooms rather than allowing warm air to accumulate close to the ceiling.

Not only can circulating fans help save money, they also reduce greenhouse emissions by cooling with less than 10 percent of the energy required for central air or window units. Fans can even provide a healthier way to stay cool. Rather than closing windows and relying on recycled, machine-cooled air, fans can be used with open windows to provide cooling through evaporative heat loss. In certain climates, fans can be used during the entire summer season to cool without the help of air conditioning.

Look for fans that fit your residential, business, or industrial applications. Fans are sized according to room size and come in models manufactured especially for domestic, commercial, or industrial uses.

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Things to Know Before Buying a Circulating Fan

Before purchasing air circulator fans, there are some things to know about how fans work and how to use them:

• Fan type: A circulating fan is not the same as a centrifugal fan (exhaust fan). Circulating fans raise comfort levels in warm weather or otherwise elevated temperatures. When used with air conditioning, thermostats can be set four degrees higher, giving homeowners and businesses six to nine percent in energy savings.
• Ceiling fan rotation: Rotating ceiling fans in the appropriate direction can save energy costs. In winter, set fan blades to turn in a clockwise direction to pull warm air from the ceiling and circulate heat throughout the room. In hot weather, rotate blades in a counter-clockwise direction to promote evaporative cooling.
• Fan sizing: Whether you need a high velocity fan or portable fans to cool a space, sizing is important. Look for fans with enough blade span to cool effectively. For ceiling fans, look for fans that meet the following blade span per-square-feet standards: 20 to 110 square feet: 24 to 42-inch blade span; 110 to 150 square feet: 42 to 48-inch blade span;150 to 280 square feet: 50 to 56-inch blade span; 300 to 400 square feet: 58 to 62-inch blade span.
• Industrial fans: An industrial air fan has metal blades and is required to have a sealed motor. Blade sizes run from 18 to 30 inches.
• High velocity fans: These are also made of metal and are more powerful than other types of fans. Blades range from 12 to 30 inches.
• Room size: For large rooms, use more than one ceiling fan or a combination of ceiling fans, wall mounted fans, or oscillating floor fans.

Temperature maintenance is important when it comes to comfort and worker productivity. Use fan cooling to keep residential, commercial, and industrial temperatures between 69 and 73 degrees F. For environments that require additional cooling equipment, consider axial fans and centrifugal fans as well.

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Addressing Circulating Fan Concerns: Noise

Circulating fans can offer savings for homeowners and businesses alike. Ceiling fans, floor fans, wall-mounted fans, and portable fans can make rooms feel cooler without the high costs associated with central air conditioning. If needed, they can also be used in conjunction with A/C to keep energy costs down. Though fans are a simple and cost-effective solution to the heat, they can sometimes be distracting. A noisy fan can cause discomfort and stress for home occupants and employees who enjoy quiet surroundings or require careful concentration.

Older fan models tend to be noisier than their more current counterparts and should be replaced. Newer circulation fans are designed with both safety and comfort (in terms of both temperature and sound) in mind.

The precise measurement of the noise put out by a fan is known as the sone rating. A sone is a measurement of sound or, more specifically, the subjective perception of sound pressure. In fans, the lower the sone level, the more comfortable the noise level will be for most people. One sone is the equivalent to the noise made by a household refrigerator. A sone rating of 1.5 indicates a quiet fan. Anything below that is optimal.

Installation can make a difference when it comes to fan noise. A fan that isn’t installed properly or has loose fittings can rattle and vibrate. Lack of lubrication can also cause fan noise. Some fans can be adjusted, but only do so according to manufacturer’s instructions. Exhaust fans (such as intermittent bathroom or kitchen fans) can be noisy for the same reasons or due to faulty ductwork. Updated ductwork or installation of inline exhaust can help with exhaust fan noise.

If a fan is extremely noisy and there seems to be no apparent cause, it may be time for an updated model. Newer fans have extremely low sone levels and are worth the investment when it comes to comfort.

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Conserving Energy for Homeowners

With the rising costs of energy and living expenses, it’s especially important to know where to find homeowner savings. Sometimes, all it takes to change the way homeowners power their homes and consume vital resources are a few low-cost investments and a little time. Here are some ways to increase energy efficiency and save homeowners money:

• Plant trees and shrubs or install fencing in strategic locations to provide shade for the home.
• Use window treatments to block light and heat.
• Install protective awnings.
• Consider light colors for roofing to reflect the sun and keep solar energy from over-heating the home.
• Add insulation to the attic to buffer heat.
• Open windows and doors to make the most of cross-ventilation.
• Make the most of air circulator fans, whole house fans, or evaporative coolers. Fans can be used in conjunction with A/C or alone to cool homes on the hottest days. In humid regions, running the A/C during the day and then a whole house fan at night harnesses cooler evening air for comfort. In cooler climates, whole house fans are often used in place of A/C.
• Circulating fans (ceiling fans, table fans, mounted fans, wall fans, and floor fans) make the surrounding air feel cooler by moving the air around and promoting evaporative cooling.
• Use spot exhaust in bathrooms and kitchens to vent excess heat, humidity, and odor from the home.

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Industrial Circulating Fans and the Bottom Line

An air circulating fan can help improve a business, both for the people getting paid and the people signing the paychecks. Fans keep workers safe and comfortable, save energy output and money, and help operators stay in compliance. The right type and size of fan will create just the right level of wind chill to keep employees content and focused on work.

Employee productivity
Comfortable workers are more productive and less prone to feeling the sluggishness associated with high levels of heat and humidity. Fan cooling also keeps workers safe by helping them feel alert. A focused employee is better able to avoid mistakes than one who’s worn out from the heat. Productive and safe workers equal higher output and profit margins.

The Bottom Line
Fans help businesses and industries save money by moving massive amounts of air within a large space to provide energy efficient cooling. In hot and humid climates, fans can keep A/C energy costs down. Using fans makes workers feel cooler, reducing the overall load of A/C units. A temperature offset of just three degrees can provide huge savings, especially in large operations.

Fans can be used alone during cooler summers, leaving more profit for the bottom line. They save on heating bills as well—in colder months and climates, fans help move warm air around a room, making a furnace more efficient at heating. New businesses can take advantage of fans for heating and cooling with installation at the outset of operation. In some cases, A/C and ductwork are completely unnecessary with the use of fans.

Environmental and Safety Compliance
Fan cooling also helps commercial and industrial operators meet local, state, and federal guidelines for environmental and employee safety. Circulating fans used with open windows and doors are emission-free ventilation. They use one-tenth of the energy of A/C to keep employees cool enough to work safely, and they make the most sense when it comes to green operations. Look for the Energy Star® label on fans. Energy Star®-rated fans move air 20 percent more efficiently over standard models.

Finding the Right Dealer
To save money and make the right choice for your operation, find a reliable vendor of effective, aerodynamic fans. A good supplier can provide (1) a variety of fans based on commercial or industrial application, (2) helpful information on sizing and installation, and (3) fans that are tested for compliance to keep workers safe.

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Oscillating Fans

An oscillating fan is a fan that rotates rather than blowing in one direction, using forced convection to cool a space. This type of fan is stationary (on a stand or base), while the fan housing rotates from side to side. Oscillating fans come in a variety of sizes with a number of settings (side to side, stationary, angles, or up and down). They come as pedestal models or clip-on wall-mounts. Some are built as combination units with both heating and cooling settings. They’re a great way to cool a room in conjunction with A/C or alone.

Oscillating fans can sometimes malfunction. It is important to know how to tell if a fan needs maintenance, or if it just needs to be replaced. If a fan is not oscillating properly, here are some steps to making it work (always check the manufacturer’s instructions first):

• Unplug the fan for safety.
• Check the fan gears—they may be loose. Loose or worn gears can keep a fan from oscillating.
• Remove the fan grill, nuts, pins, and/or clamps.
• Remove the fan blade from the motor.
• Check the motor and blades. Do they need to be cleaned? Use a vacuum or soft cloth to remove dirt and lint.
• Reassemble the fan and check the screws and gear assembly. Loose screws and gears can keep your fan from working properly.
• After reassembling the fan, use household lubricant oil on the shaft.

After reassembly, if the fan continues to malfunction, you may need to replace the gears and motor housing. If there’s a burning smell or faulty wiring, do not use the fan. Instead, check the warranty and get a replacement fan.