That’s a loaded question, so my loaded answer is: It depends. There are lots of factors to consider including your room/house size, efficiency of equipment, your heat tolerance, your priorities, and more.
A fan uses less energy, but it might not always provide the same cooling result as central air. If you truly want to go the greenest route, here are a few things to try:
- Cool your room to the desired temp, then use a fan with the windows shut to see if you can maintain comfort.
- If a fan doesn’t quite do the trick, try an energy-efficient window AC unit to cool the rooms where you sleep and/or spend the most time.
- Be sure to keep blinds closed to prevent the sun from raising the ambient temperature.
- Consider installing an Indiana-made solar attic fan (if it makes sense for the size and style of your home).
- Don’t use your oven on extremely hot days.
For me, I choose windows open with ceiling fans until I simply can’t stand it anymore. It helps to have well-placed awnings and trees, a love of hot weather, and a die-hard commitment to being green. That said, come August, you may hear the whir of the AC fan.
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Editor’s note: Renee Sweany’s Green Piece Indy has merged with Indiana Living Green, and now lives under the “Ask Renee” moniker. We are in the process of moving her vast archival materials to indianalivinggreen.com. Renee will continue to send out two newsletters per week, with a similar format of delivering great green information — and answering your questions. Please go to our web site to sign up for the Ask Renee newsletter.
