The weather conditions in Lee’s Summit, MO, are a year-round concern; Hot, humid summers & long, chilly chilly winters make it difficult to keep a comfortable home, then my buddy and I run either the air conditioner or the furnace without much of a chop in-between, and the cost of temperature control adds up to approximately half of the home energy use, and i’ve taken all sorts of precautions to prevent energy waste.
I’ve replaced the windows & the thermostat, increased the amount of insulation, caulked & weatherstripped.
This past winter, when I climbed on a ladder to upgrade a lightbulb in an overhead fixture, I noticed that the temperature near the ceiling was much higher than near the floor. I realized that the heat from the supply vents was rising straight up & only dropping back down once it cooled. This was forcing higher thermostat settings, wasting energy & causing higher energy bills. I did some research on chances for improvement & came across ceiling fans. They are available in all different sizes & price ranges & include new features such as LED lights, timers, sleek blades & remote control operation. Running a fan helps to distribute moderate air throughout the room in the winter. I run the fan clockwise on a low speed to create a gentle updraft & transport the heat that tends to accumulate near the ceiling. In the Summer months, the ceiling fans help out the air conditioner… Operating the fan can lower room temperature by up to eight degrees. The savings on energy bills has quickly reclaimed the investment into ceiling fans for all of the main rooms of the house, and plus, the fans are charming, quiet & improve comfort.