Learning how to use window fans strategically can help you stay cool and comfortable during the hot summer days for much less money than an air conditioner.
Air conditioning is responsible for as much as one third of the electricity consumed in the summer.
These are energy thirsty appliances, which isn’t cheap. That’s precisely why, instead of blasting the AC continuously, many switch to window fans when possible. Even though they are powerless against humidity, fans are much cheaper to run, reducing your reliance on air conditioning and lowering your summertime utility bills. At minimum, you need two window fans; one whose blades are drawing air into the home, another whose blades are pushing the air out. The more window fans you have working, the better. Aim to set up an equal amount of in and out blowing fans. Position inward blowing fans on the shady side of your house and outward blowing fans on the sunny side. If you have a choice, always opt for the largest size fans that can fit in your windows. Whether by fabric window treatments or panels of plywood, try to block the open air cavities on either side of the fan unit. After sunset, set the ground level fans to bring in cool night air, while trusting the upper story fans to expel warm air. In the morning, when the house is at its coldest, remove the fans and shut the windows. The insulation in most modern homes can retain cool air for hours. Once the sun sets, re-open the windows and start your fans up again. There are always going to be days when air conditioning strikes you, not so much as an optional luxury, but more like a bare necessity. On other days, though, you may be able to get by just fine with the help of window fans if you position them correctly in your home.