Energy Conservation: The fan mode is more energy-efficient than running the AC in cooling mode, helping to save on electricity costs. It circulates air without changing the temperature or humidity levels, using less power than the cooling mode.
We can give you a quick answer, because it's no contest: fans. Whether you're talking about using just the blower fan of your HVAC system (“fan only mode”) or ceiling fans, these devices use only a small fraction of the amount of energy of turning on the air conditioner.
Saving money is one of the most obvious reasons to not keep the air conditioner fan on all the time. As you've probably guessed, when it's continuously in operation, it uses up a lot of energy. As a result, you could pay hundreds of dollars more in energy bills each year than you otherwise would.
Keeping your fan on AUTO is the most energy-efficient option. The fan only runs when the system is on and not continuously. There is better dehumidification in your home during the summer months.
When the California summer heat rolls in, pairing your AC with a ceiling fan is your best defense. By correctly setting the fan's direction, adjusting the thermostat, and a few other simple strategies, you can keep your home cool without driving up your energy bill.
Pros of Keeping Your Fan On
First, running fans contribute to even temperature distribution. This reduces the hot spots in your house. Hot spots occur when an area doesn't receive the same temperature-controlled air as other rooms. You'll also enjoy improved air quality in your home.
The central downside of running your fan continuously is the potential for a rising energy bill each month. Running the fan constantly uses a bit more energy, as you might expect, and this can increase your utility bill.
This approach can reduce wear and tear on the air conditioning equipment because the fan doesn't have to start and stop as often. Running the fan on the AC all the time also helps maintain a more consistent and even temperature throughout your home because air is constantly circulating, eliminating hot and cold spots.
Using your ceiling fans and AC unit simultaneously can help save you money on your monthly cooling bill. According to the Department of Energy, if you use air conditioning to cool your home, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort.
"AUTO" is the more energy-efficient option, as it runs the fan only when heating or cooling is actively needed. "ON" keeps the fan running continuously, which can help with air circulation and filtration but may consume more energy.
You can choose to run the fan continuously or only when the AC is on. This setting helps circulate air in your home, but it won't produce any new cold air.
Run Continuously: Setting the fan to run continuously can help in evenly distributing air and maintaining a consistent room temperature. Extend AC Life: Using fan mode can reduce the wear and tear on the compressor, extending the lifespan of your AC unit.
Ceiling fans cannot lower room temperature like air conditioning does. However, they do help to provide a cool breeze that your AC cannot. Because ceiling fans help the AC, they also help to reduce energy costs as your AC unit is able to run more efficiently.
Eco or energy-saving mode
This is the ideal mode for users looking to save up on energy bills by toning down the performance of the AC and its compressor. Eco-mode uses less electricity by automatically adjusting the fan speed and temperature, while still maintaining a comfortable level of cooling.
Setting the fan speed too low will usually cause the evaporator coil to freeze. If the fan speed is too high, it can cause the AC condenser to short-cycle or turn on and off constantly. This puts a huge amount of stress on the unit and also results in greatly increased energy costs.
One simple way to save electricity with your air conditioner is by optimizing its fan speed. Running your AC fan at a slower speed allows the system to cool and dehumidify the air more effectively, which means it works less overall.
Therefore, the fan uses about 360 kWh per month in the ON mode. The average kWh in the US costs about $0.12 so it costs about $43 per month, or about $520 per year, to run a fan continuously. At this point, it should be pretty obvious that AUTO costs less than ON but let's math it out to its logical conclusion.
Consequences of Running Your Air Conditioner 24 Hours a Day
Wasted energy: Running the AC to cool your home beyond your comfort level wastes energy and contributes to an increased carbon footprint. This is bad news for the environment and your energy bills.
A ceiling fan used along with the air conditioner can make the room feel comfortable faster and also help reduce the overall electricity bill. Let us explain how. The normal temperature of the human body is around 37 degrees Celsius.
The constant running will reduce pressure in the cooling coil until it freezes over, which is dangerous as it can cause liquid refrigerant to flood back to the compressor and damage it (the compressor is a very expensive part).
A: Yes, fan mode typically consumes significantly less energy than cooling mode because the compressor is not running. It's a great option when you just want air circulation without needing the room to cool down further.
This means, that in turn, when your setting is turned on auto less electricity is used. When your fan and air conditioner are running all the time, more electricity is produced. All in all, it is better to leave your air conditioner's fan on auto, instead of “On” at all times.
As our planet overheats, we're relying more heavily on air conditioning to keep our homes comfortable. And as vindication for all the dads out there, using your AC more is one of the biggest contributors to an elevated electricity bill. And it's not just the heat that's making us sweat–it's the humidity.