This is a question commonly raised by clients. It’s also the age-old debate that divides families and causes drama during the hot Australian summer. Money-conscious homeowners ponder the question every summer as the mercury exceeds 30°C across the country. So, is the extra cost of air conditioning worth the comfort, or are ceiling fans adequate?
Basing the math off a standard 52inch, 4 blade ceiling fan with speed settings built-in. If you are using our fan at medium speed, then the average hourly running cost is approx. 0.28c. Say you had that fan running 4 hours per day, 365 days per year, then the annual running costs would be roughly $4.40 (depending on the electricity usage rate as well). Keep in mind, if you have multiple ceiling fans running or they are left on when no one is using them, the costs can creep up.
Comparing this to air-conditioning, if you were to have the average reverse cycle split system, the cost would be between $0.33 – $0.45 per hour. This is unquestionably more expensive to run compared to a ceiling fan. An air conditioner is more effective at cooling rooms, but you definitely pay for it when it comes to the usage cost.
Evidently, you could save hundreds on your annual electricity costs if you ran fans at low to moderate speeds throughout the day rather than the air conditioner. Unfortunately, there’s no universal answer to this question. On the bright side, however, conducting some research should point you in the right direction as to which is the better choice for your family and budget.
More low-cost cooling options other than ceiling fans
Below is a list of air-conditioner alternatives you can implement in your home:
- Open up the house at night to let in a cool breeze
- Shut the house up during the day
- If you must have the house open during the day, then at least close curtains and blinds to block out the sun
- A wet towel handing over an open window will act as a natural air cooler
- BBQ outside as much as possible to avoid heating the house up with the oven
- Incandescent light bulbs let off a lot of heat, so changing them will help
- Close doors to rooms you aren’t utilising
Discover the benefits of swapping your halogen bulbs for LED options in our blog
An Australian summer can be quite unforgiving, so sometimes the only option is to turn the air-con on. Here are some simple tips for running it efficiently to keep power costs as low as possible when enjoying the relief from the heat.
- Only cool rooms that are being utilised
- Block the gaps under doors to outside and the rooms you aren’t cooling
- Keep curtains and blinds shut to keep the heat out
- Clean the filters on your air-con once a week through summer to keep it running at its best.
- Set your temperature just 1 degree warmer and it will reduce your running cost by at least 10%
Not only will all these tips save you money, but they will also help you be kinder to the environment. A combination of fans and air-conditioning should leave you and your family feeling more comfortable during the warmer months.
Looking to cool your home this summer? Contact us to chat through the best option for your property.
