Tips on Using Fans

Using fans effectively

According to the writers at Real Simple, you should place fans where you'll feel their breeze directly: "It's the windchill effect of the breeze on your skin that makes you cooler," states Kate Lewis of Energy Star, in the Real Simple article. Fans don't usually lower the temperature in a room that much, but they can make you feel cooler through increased airflow. As explained on the website HowStuffWorks.com, "By blowing air around, the fan makes it easier for the air to evaporate sweat from your skin, which is how you eliminate body heat." Fans can also be used to push warm air out of a room. An article on MarthaStewart.com recommends that if you have windows on only one side of a room, "set up a fan near the opposite wall to direct the air flow." To circulate air in a room, place a fan on a flat surface at least four feet high and angle it so it blows up a wall. This positioning will move stale air, according to the manager of a fan company who is quoted in the Real Simple article.

Noise level is an important consideration. Some people appreciate the white noise that many fans emit, especially when they are trying to sleep. For others, the best fan is a silent one. Most of the reviews on Amazon.com mention the amount of noise a fan makes, though this is not to say that the reviewers reach a consensus. One person's purr is another person's roar.

There are several types of fans to meet different situations. To cool a large room, you'll want a box fan, pedestal fan, tower fan or window fan. If it's just you at a desk, many tabletop options are available.