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Dulley's Money-Saving Tip #1012

Use your ceiling paddle fans year-round

(related Dulley column topic links - 493, 641)

Don't forget that you can use your ceiling paddle fans year-round to help cut your utility bills. In fact, the mild spring weather is an excellent time to use your ceiling fan in the upward-flow direction. On a mild sunny day, using your ceiling fan can eliminate the need for your furnace or heat pump to come on at all.

In the summer, switch the blade rotation so the air blows directly down. Medium or high speed is often used to create noticeable air flow against your body. This breeze can make you feel five to ten degrees cooler than you would in still air of the same temperature. Just seeing curtains move in the breeze and hearing the sound of the fan has been shown to make people actually feel cooler.