Fans vs HVAC: What’s The Best Way To Cool Your Home?

With summer heat in full swing head over below to see what’s the best way to cool your home.

Fans vs HVAC: What’s The Best Way To Cool Your Home?

During a heatwave, our home’s ought to serve as a retreat. If your home is just as hot (or hotter) than outside, this is a sign that you need to invest in some form of electric cooling. But what is the best option?

Fans and HVAC are the two most popular ways to cool a home. Both have their own pros and cons. This post compares both options to help you determine which is the best cooling method for your home.

Which cost less to install?

A ceiling fan can cost anywhere from $100 to $600 to install. The price of installation can vary depending on the size and quality of the fan you install, and where you choose to install it. Portable fans can also be a cooling option and can cost even less than $100 to buy.

Installing an air conditioning unit meanwhile costs between $500 and $2,500, making it significantly more expensive. Portable air conditioners can cost as little as $200, but generally cost closer to $400. Installing a full HVAC system can meanwhile cost anywhere from $3,500 to $10,000. 

Which cost less to run and maintain?

Some fans use 1% of the energy that an air conditioning unit does. On average, ceiling fans use about 75 watts per hour. Fans typically don’t require much maintenance and are cheap to fix.

AC units meanwhile typically use 3,000 to 3,500 watts per hour. Some are more energy-efficient, but even the most economical systems cannot compete with your average ceiling fan. HVAC systems should be serviced every year, and faults can be more expensive to repair.

Which are more effective in hot temperatures?

This is where HVAC has the clear advantage. Fans move air around to provide a cool breeze, but they don’t actually cool the air. They still offer a lot of comfort in moderately high temperatures. However, at temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit, fans are often completely ineffective.

HVAC systems actually help to regulate the temperature of the air. In extreme heat, they are much better at keeping you cool.

Which is better for air quality?

Fans simply blow air around. They do not have any in-built filtration systems for improving air quality. In fact, fans may actually make dust allergies and hayfever worse by keeping pollutants circulating in the air. You can use fans with separate air purifier machines, but using fan will put more strain on the air purifier. 

HVAC systems tend to come with exhaust fans and air purifier systems. This allows them to not just circulate cool air, but also filter out various contaminants in the air. Of course, it does depend on what type of air conditioner you use as to how effective it is. HVAC systems also need to be regularly cleaned out to keep them efficient – otherwise they can start to pump dirty air around and be worse than fans.

Which takes up more space?

Fans tend to not take up too much space. There are small-bladed ceiling fan solutions available. Meanwhile, portable fans can come in very small sizes that are ideal for placing on a desk or a windowsill.

HVAC units are much more bulky. However, much of this system is installed on the outside of a building. As a result, a HVAC system may not necessarily take up more space. Portable AC systems on the other hand can take up a lot of space. 

Which is better for providing heating?

Can you heat a room up with a fan? Surprisingly, yes. Ceiling fans can be switched on in winter and set clockwise to help heat rise, but generally there needs to be another heat source installed such as a furnace. A ceiling fan on its own won’t do much.

HVAC systems are designed to heat and cool your home. During winter they physically warm up the air in order to make it less cold. They are a much more effective heating option. 

Conclusion

So, which is the winner? Well, it really depends on your priorities.

If you’re looking for a cooling solution that will save you money, fans win hands down. Fans consume much less energy, cost less to install and cost less to repair and maintain. 

 

If you’re looking for better cooling effectiveness, better air quality management and heating capability, then a HVAC system is the clear way to go. HVAC simply works better in high temperatures because it actually cools the air. This can make them a good investment in places that are very hot for most of the year.