Simple Ways to Cool Your Home and Save Big

Use energy-efficient ceiling, attic and whole-house fans instead of air conditioning.

By Dan Chiras
August/September 2009

Solar attic fan
Image Gallery
Some solar attic fans exhaust hot attic air out through the gable-end vent. The photovoltaic panel that powers the fan is on the roof.
KEITH WARD
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

One of the easiest ways to keep your cool in the summer is to use fans. In addition to moving air around, which makes us feel cooler, fans can, if properly located, purge heat from a house and draw in cool outside air. Moreover, fans use less energy than central air conditioners and evaporative coolers, and are less expensive to install. Fans can dramatically lower utility bills by reducing the need to use air conditioning.

RELATED CONTENT

Follow these links for information on specific fan types:
Ceiling Fans: A Simple Cooling Method
Solar Attic Fans: Cool Your Attic and Your Home
Whole-house Fans: Easy, Low-cost Cooling 

What Will You Save?

A regular attic fan uses electricity, but saves about 10 percent on air conditioning costs by keeping your attic (and, as a result, the living space below it) cooler. Solar-powered attic fans have a higher initial cost.

A ceiling or portable floor fan will cut your energy costs if you have central air conditioning — if you raise the thermostat setting. For every degree you turn it up, you will cut 7 to 10 percent from your cooling costs.

Using a whole-house fan — instead of air conditioning — when the temperature cools off in the evening and early morning hours can save significantly on energy costs. Not only does a whole-house fan cost less to run than air conditioning, but it can cool a house down in just a few minutes, after the outside air temperature has decreased.

Page: 1 | 2 | Next >>
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print
MY COMMUNITY
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 72% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*


(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

MOTHER EARTH NEWS is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. MOTHER EARTH NEWS helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.