How Much Does It Cost To Run A Window Fan

The Cost of Air Workout Vs. a Fan

Concluding updated: January 26, 2022

An American Love Thing with Air Conditioning (Ac)

Summer is hither. Time to rev upwards the air conditioning units. Or is it? Americans are addicted to Air conditioning. Nosotros DEMAND it in our homes, our offices, our shopping malls, our cars. According the U.S. Dept. of Free energy, about xc% of U.S. homes have air conditioning. By contrast, merely 47% of U.S. homes had AC in 1973.

Admittedly, I've become a bit spoiled when it comes to air-conditioning. I accept a very hard time sleeping comfortably unless information technology's near 72 degrees or less. It can get pretty muggy in Michigan. Ever since I was nigh ten years quondam, I have lived with air-conditioning. The one exception was in higher when I was in the dorms for two miserably hot years.

Simply an article in the New York Times that got me thinking a bit about our wasteful means, my wasteful ways – "Bringing in the Big Fans". And information technology made me want to run some numbers.

The Cost of Air-conditioning Vs. Fans

Co-ordinate to the article:

a good window AC unit of measurement runs on 1.2 kilowatts and costs 14 cents an hour to run
a three-ton fundamental air unit (a mutual cooling system), runs on near 3 kilowatts and costs about 36 cents an hour to run
a skilful ceiling fan? Information technology draws merely 30 watts to run, costing about 1 cent per three hours of use

One penny for every three hours?!

I knew that fans used less energy than Air conditioning units, just to use less than 1% of the energy? Hmmm….. perhaps I demand to re-call back my love for air conditioning.

Running the AC versus Fan Cost Figures Over a Month

Putting these hourly costs into more than practical terms made sense, and then I decided to run the math. If you assume that your unit is running half of the day during summer months,

a window Air-conditioning unit would cost $50.forty per month
a primal Air conditioning unit of measurement would price $129.60 per month
each ceiling fan would cost $1.20 per calendar month

I could potentially be saving over $128 per month by putting upward a ceiling fan in my bedroom and weening myself off of AC? Amazing!

Heck, even just installing a window unit of measurement in my room and so that I can sleep well (the biggest reason I'g addicted to Air conditioning in the summer) would salvage me $78 per month, probably more if I just apply it at dark.

Additional Benefits to Getting Rid of AC

I love AC, don't get me incorrect. Only lately I have been opening the windows more oft and going without. I similar the outdoor sounds and really like the fresh air.

And when you lot consider that 17% of all electricity consumed at home in the U.S. is to power AC units and that virtually of that electricity is coming from carbon-rich coal, perhaps information technology's fourth dimension nosotros re-thought our honey for AC. Information technology's difficult to justify AC if you call yourself an environmental steward.

Whether you switch to a ceiling fan, a window unit, a whole house fan, or some combination of, y'all may want to start thinking nigh your love of air conditioning. I volition. Stay tuned.