First tip of the year

Heating and cooling are some of the most energy intensive applications in a home and also the most costly in terms of electricity, gas, oil or even wood.Ceiling fans - summer and winterWhile you may be familiar with using a ceiling fan during summer, have you considered using it in winter also?

Heat rises and most of the heat you want is close to the ceiling during winter. A ceiling fan on a low speed can help push that heat down to where you are. Additionally, it can help reduce the instance of condensation on your windows. During winter the fan will need to run clockwise, which is the opposite of the direction you want it running in summer. The reason for this is that as cold air is denser, running the ceiling fan clockwise draws that cold air up, pushing the warm air close to the ceiling aside, which then travels down the walls to the lower level of the room. So when shopping for a ceiling fan, ensure it has a clockwise/anti-clockwise feature so you'll be able to use it all year round.Using as little as a hundred watts, an ultra-efficient ceiling fan can shave up to 10% off your heating costs.