ENERGY TIP OF THE MONTH:

Ceiling fans with Light Fixtures
No matter what season it may be, ceiling fans can not only help lower your energy bill, but also provide added comfort.

Most ceiling fans have a switch on the fan motor which allows you to change the direction in which the ceiling fan blades are operating.  During the heating season, make certain your ceiling fan blades are rotating in a clockwise direction on the low speed setting.  This will cause a gentle updraft which will allow air to circulate and force the warm air near the ceiling to be dispersed into the living space.

During the cooling season, change the switch on the fan motor to allow the ceiling fan blades to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction to cool more efficiently.  Turning up your thermostat by just two degrees on extremely hot days and using your ceiling fan in conjunction with your air conditioner can lower your air conditioning costs by up to 14% over the course of the cooling season. 

Ceiling fans that include light fixtures should have cfl’s (compact fluorescent lighting) installed to allow even more energy savings.  Not only do cfl’s use 1/4th the energy of incandescent bulbs, but they also disperse 90 percent less heat

For more energy savings ideas contact Doug Ferrell, your energy advisor at Northeastern REMC.