The fans have made a significant improvement in our comfort
In my local area, winter arrives early and seems to last forever. I typically start running the furnace sometime in September. We expect below freezing temperatures and snow on the ground by Halloween. There’s often blizzard conditions over Christmas, and we rely on the heating system until early April. I take the long winter as the perfect opportunity to clean my house. Since I’m trapped inside because of the cold and snow, I take advantage of it. I move from one room to the next with my vacuum cleaner, bucket of soapy water, ladder and disinfectant. I launder the curtains and bed linens and move furniture around. I wipe down the walls and ceilings and clean the windows and the overhead light fixtures. This past winter, when I climbed up on the ladder to wash the ceiling light in the living room, I noticed a significant increase in the room temperature. Down near the floor, the air felt borderline chilly. Up near the ceiling, the air was warm enough to cause a sweat. I realized that the hot air from the furnace was rising straight up. This problem was forcing higher thermostat settings, resulting in the furnace working harder, running more often and using more energy. Because of the high cost of my monthly heating bills, I am always searching for new ways to reduce household energy consumption. I’ve insulated, caulked, invested in a smart thermostat and replaced windows. I decided it was time to invest in ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are available in all different sizes, styles and prices. My husband and I were able to handle the installation ourselves. The fans have made a significant improvement in our comfort. The rotation of the blades pushes the heat down toward the floor in the winter. In the summer, we can reverse the direction of the blades so that the heat is pushed up toward the ceiling.