As we continue to face warmer days, you may be considering whether or not you should invest in some cooling for your home. If so, which? A ceiling fan or an air conditioner? This helpful blog will outline the pros and cons of both to assist you in making this decision.
Aesthetically pleasing: Starting off with a strong one, a ceiling fan is not only functional but also stylish! When you think of design and layout, and you think air conditioner or fan, 9 times out of 10, fan will take the cake! That is because you can now choose from a range of designer fans, suitable for any room in your home. Better yet, choose from a variety of colours and styles to compliment your space all while cooling your space down.
Cheaper to run: Arguably one of the most important factors, the cost of running a ceiling fan compared to an air conditioner is quite considerable. While we could get into the nitty gritty of it all, in layman's terms, a ceiling fan uses less watts than that of an air conditioner. Canstar Blue confirm that where an air conditioner can cost between 35-45c an hour, a ceiling fan can cost between 2-3c per hour to run. So if you are still wondering, is it cheaper to run a fan or aircon? Yes, it is considerably cheaper to run a ceiling fan.
Better for the environment: Not only are ceiling fans cheaper to operate than an air conditioning unit, they are in hand better for the environment! This is due to the fact that they operate using less energy than what an air conditioner requires. If energy and sustainability is at the forefront of your mind, consider looking at DC ceiling fans as they will consume even less energy than that of a regular fan.
Doesn’t risk drying out the air: Ceiling fans are a fantastic solution if you find an air conditioner tends to dry out the air, or even plays with your sinus. This is because a ceiling fan is better suited to circulating air throughout a space rather than necessarily cooling it. The time that you might notice this the most is at night when trying to sleep. Wondering whether it is better to sleep with fan or aircon? We can confirm that it would be better sleeping with a fan to avoid feeling dry in the morning - commonly felt when sleeping with an air conditioner on.
Option to cool the room temp with precision: One of the major benefits to an air conditioning unit is its ability to be programmed to a specific temperature. Furthermore, you have the option to set timers, change the air power and adjust more in-depth settings. This ensures your space will reach the desired temperature in a quick and efficient manner.
Option to heat the room if required: While not important during those Summer months, an air conditioning unit can become very useful during the Winter months when used on its heat setting. This is an important consideration to make as it ultimately offers a dual purpose functionality in comparison to fans. Although, it is important to consider where you are located and whether or not you often desire additional heating. On top of this, if you already have a fireplace or portable heater, then you may not need to invest in another.
Doesn’t allow you to have complete control over room temp: Now unlike an air conditioner, ceiling fans are unfortunately limited in the amount of cooling provided to a room. While there are often settings for your ceiling fan, this does not mean your space will reach a certain temperature after a period of time. More so, the air will be circulated to better distribute the heat in a space, creating that cooling effect, as well as offering a slight breeze.
Doesn’t ‘cool’ the air: Much like the above, a ceiling fan does not technically bring down the temperature in a room. However, the addition of circulating air does in fact assist in creating the feeling of a cooler temperature, as the movement of the air is much more pleasant than still, muggy air.
Expensive to run: As previously covered, air conditioning units are typically more expensive to run compared to ceiling fans. This is often due to their bulky nature, as well as the advanced technology within to both heat and cool. Canstar Blue confirms that if you were to run an air conditioning unit for 8 hours a day for the month of January, you would be looking at a bill upwards of $100 in power alone!
Regular Maintenance Required: Due to the advanced nature of air conditioners, they also require regular maintenance to ensure they continue to operate correctly and safely. Additionally, many air conditioners come with multiple parts, whether it is ducted or not and so on. This means that there is often more room for error to occur, meaning more maintenance too. Ceiling fans are convenient in this respect, as they do not require much maintenance, unless they also have a light, in which that may need replacing from time to time.
Difficult to clean: Another important factor to consider is how cleanable both ceiling fans and air conditioners are. If you do not properly clean these, you will find dust and other substances start to accumulate nearby and often then get circulated throughout the air. This can become very problematic for those susceptible to allergens, and in general can leave dust throughout your home. Unlike ceiling fans, air conditioners can prove difficult to clean as the vents are often small and tight. Furthermore, air conditioning filters also need to be removed from time to time and require a more thorough cleaning either by using a vacuum or soaking in warm water.
Now, are air conditioners better than fans? This remains a debatable question, however, we can see the benefits to both units - although, we do have a favourite. Ceiling fans provide cooling functionality all while looking stylish and modern. While air conditioners are fantastic cooling choices, however, we feel that their bulky demeanour, cost to run and effort to clean, unfortunately outweighs the benefits.
