The Best Way to Run a Fan for Cooling
- 1). Pick a fan that has an adequate cubic-feet-per-minute rating. Multiply the width times the length of the room and then multiply that by the number of feet of ceiling height. This gives you the CFM rating that the area requires to keep it cool.
- 2). Close the doors and windows of rooms where you don't need cool air, such as guest rooms. This creates more air flow from the fans in rooms where the doors and windows are open.
- 3). Set window fans in the side of the house that is opposite any bedrooms for nighttime cooling. A window in a hallway is another wise choice. This keeps the noise of the fan away from sleeping areas and draws cool air through the bedrooms.
- 4). Provide the proper ceiling opening size for an attic fan. It is best to locate the opening in the hallway. This draws warm air out of all the rooms in the home. Read the directions on the attic fan for the correct size of the opening. Provide twice the opening size if using insect screening.
- 5). Change the rotation of your ceiling fan blades. In warm weather months, rotating the blades in a clockwise motion provides a cool breeze in areas below the fan. Use a counterclockwise motion in the cold months to increase a downdraft of warm air near the ceiling.
