Tag: cooling

What is the purpose of a ceiling fan pull chain?

What is the purpose of a ceiling fan pull chain?

A ceiling fan pull chain may seem like a simple feature, but it plays a crucial role in enhancing the functionality and convenience of your ceiling fan. Understanding the purpose and benefits of a ceiling fan pull chain can help you make better use of this often-overlooked component. Here’s a detailed look at what a ceiling fan pull chain does and why it’s important.

Adjusting the fan speed

A fan comes with a pull chain and when pulled multiple times, the fan will cycle through its three speed settings. This feature facilitates adjusting airflow to personal preferences and requirements of the room. The pull chain is easy to operate at any speed.

Operating the light fixture

The pull chain controls many of the integrated light fixtures in ceiling fans. This feature is used to turn the light on or off, and sometimes you can also set the brightness or change the light level. Tug the chain to adjust the lighting in the room and let your luxurious conveniences change the atmosphere.

This is also helpful for when you want just the fan and not the light or vice versa. The built-in pull chain operates both functions and eliminates the need for a wall switch or remote control.

Reversing the fan direction

Some ceiling fans come equipped with a reversible motor feature, which allows the fan blades to rotate in both directions. This capability is beneficial for improving airflow depending on the temperature. The ceiling fan pull chain can be used to reverse the direction of the blades, changing the airflow pattern in the room.

In the summer, the fan blades typically spin counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze. In the winter, reversing the blades to spin clockwise helps circulate warm air that collects near the ceiling, promoting more even heating throughout the room. The pull chain provides a straightforward way to switch the fan direction, making it easy to adapt to seasonal  and temperature changes.

Simplifying control without a remote

For those without a remote control, the pull chain will be the primary way to control your fan. This is a straightforward way to change the fan speed, turn on or off the light and reverse the fan. In times of lost remote controls, dead batteries or if you prefer a more tactile medium as opposed to high-level menus and systems, a pull chain comes in handy.

Its pull chain mechanism is user-friendly and self-explanatory in case you have other users not familiar with ceiling fan control.

Enhancing the aesthetic appeal

The ceiling fan pull chain is an accessory that can be almost as utilitarian as it is a decorative piece. The pull chain can be purchased in multiple different styles, and even become a significant part of decoration inside the room.

Choosing a pull chain that matches or accents your fan will also help make your fan blend into the room decor aesthetically, allowing it to serve not just as an appliance but fashionable interior décor.

Although a basic component, the ceiling fan pull chain plays an essential role in making your ceiling fan more functional and user-friendly. With features such as fan speed and respective light settings among others, the pull chain offers an efficient tool to control your fan. The pull chain ceiling fan is versatile, convenient and practical with a touch of control that allows homeowners to control the lighting and ventilation with just their hands.

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7 tips on staying cool this summer

7 tips on staying cool this summer

This summer is one of the hottest summers on record, and whilst just a few months back, we were all looking at how to keep your home warm through one of the coldest winters we’ve had for some time… the seasons seem to be getting more and more pronounced, which means the need to stay warm and cool, are becoming more pertinent to our daily lives.

Countries such as the UK aren’t very well equipped for the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing this summer, as unlike places such as Spain and the South of France where intense hot weather is predictable, and therefore, measures are in place to counteract the intensity of the sizzling sun – such as shutters on the windows and air conditioning units installed in most homes, in the UK, we simply aren’t prepared.

Here, the focus is much more on central heating as opposed to air conditioning and when the weather is as hot as it has been, and still is, we simply struggle to cope. Often, we’ll rush out to the supermarket in order to pick up a few fans before they run out, but that’s pretty much the limit, and using fans in this way can be an expensive way to stay cool.

This article therefore offers a number of suggestions to help you stay cool this summer, in a way that won’t break the bank.

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  1. Turn up the thermostat

If you have air conditioning as part of your heating system, then you might want to consider turning up the thermostat a few notches, as most people set their air conditioning system to blast out such cold air that it can feel like they’re walking into a fridge! Not only is this an expensive way to keep cool in terms of summer energy use it’s also not very good for your health.

Hourglass with green sand

  1. Make use of a timer

The majority of modern thermostats come with a timer, which means you can set it to come on just before you get home. This way you’re not wasting electricity on keeping the house cool all day, when you’re not even there to reap the benefit – and it usually only takes about 15 minutes to cool a house, so make use of your timer and save energy.

White desk fan on wooden counter top

  1. Limit the number of rooms you cool

If you’re like most people then there’s a strong possibility you only live in a few rooms within your house, or at least, spend 80% of your time in these select few rooms. It’s therefore frugal to only cool the rooms you’ll actually be in; and keep the doors closed to other rooms in order to see a huge saving in energy costs.

Yellow facade insulation

  1. Insulate

Typically, insulation is known for keeping the heat in rather than the cool in, but if you’re using air conditioning then good insulation will trap the cool air within your property.

Plantation shutters in a white bathroom

  1. Adapt

Countries like Spain have adapted to deal with the intense heat, for instance, they’ll have a siesta in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is at its hottest. They also have shutters on their windows in order to keep the intensity of the sun’s heat deflected away from their property. You can do something similar with stylish made to measure plantation shutters, or simply keep the curtains closed – though if you keep the curtains closed, unlike with blinds, you’ll restrict the fresh air getting into your home which can make things feel quite stuffy.

White cotton bedding

  1. Change your bedding

The majority of us tend to get most hot at night, so you’ll want to adapt your bedding to summer sheets rather than a thick winter duvet and consider turning your mattress over as many modern mattresses have a summer side and a winter side.

Roof window

  1. Ventilate

A much healthier and cheaper way to stay cool during the night, when sleeping, is to ensure a decent supply of fresh air comes into the bedroom rather than using air conditioning… as getting fresh air will be much better for your body, in particular your respiratory system in addition to joints, than having air conditioning blasting cold air into the bedroom.

The main problem with air conditioning is that it can really dry you out, in the sense that it can cause issues such as dry eyes, dry sore throats, and skin dehydration that results in dry skin conditions, or the exacerbation of existing conditions such as eczema.

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Energy efficient options for cooling your home

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Living room cooled by a ceiling fancredit

Staying cool in your home does not have to mean watching your energy bills sky-rocket or cringing over your carbon footprint. Depending on the climate in your location, around 20-50% of your energy usage will go towards cooling your home, accounting for around 5-15% of your carbon footprint. If you’re looking for new and innovative ways to stay cool whilst cutting back on energy consumption, we’ve put together a list of ideas that you might find useful.

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Personal cooling alternatives

Keeping our bodies cool is usually the main reason for wanting to cool a home, however it’s important to realise that keeping your body cool does not necessarily mean that you need to cool the whole area around you.

  • Ceiling fans – Installing ceiling fans and ensuring that they are set to circulate in the right direction to keep the air cool in the area is an energy efficient option. It’s a well known fact that a good ceiling fan can help you feel up to five degrees cooler in warm weather.
  • Take cool showers – Rather than turning on the air conditioning, it’s a good alternative to take a cool shower in the evening or late afternoon in order to cool your body down when it needs it the most.
  • Peppermint essential oil– Peppermint essential oil can be very effective to cool the skin when sprayed directly, however it’s recommended that you avoid using it near the eyes.

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Indoor home cooling

  • Check for drafts – To help seal the cold air in, you can apply weather-stripping, silicone caulking or foam sealant to doors and windows relatively cheaply. Insulating any electric switches or outlets, attic doors or crawl spaces is also effective.
  • Solar attic fans – Installing a solar attic fan will help to cool the hot air in the space, making it easier to cool the home and resulting in your home energy bill being up to 10% cheaper per year.
  • Increase insulation – Increasing the insulation in your attic, keeping your walls well insulated and installing double-glazed windows will all help to save energy by trapping more cold air indoors.
  • Close curtains – Keeping curtains closed can help to deflect sunlight and keep the room cool.
  • Use alternative cooking methods – Using the oven or stove in the afternoon or evening should be avoided as this can greatly increase the level of heat in the home.

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Outdoor home cooling

  • Plant trees – Planting native, deciduous trees will provide a shade for your home from the hot summer sun. In the winter, they will also serve as a solar heating option for your home when they shed their leaves.
  • Solar screens – Using solar screens on the outside of windows can make a large difference, and are definitely worth investing in. They are also removable, meaning that you can take them down in winter.

Air conditioned living roomcredit

Energy efficient air conditioning use

Although every effort can be made to cool yourself and your home without switching on the air conditioning system, there’ll be times where eliminating using the air conditioning may be impossible. Knowing how to use your air conditioning wisely is important to be energy efficient and get the most out of your efforts to keep your home cool.

  • Exhaust other options – Before turning on the air conditioning it’s important to make sure that you’ve tried every other possible method to cool your home.
  • Consider a small evaporative cooler – These use water blown through wet pads in order to cool the air.
  • Maintain regularly – Annual, proper maintenance of your air conditioning unit is essential in order to be energy efficient.
  • Replace old models – If your air conditioning system is over ten years old, investing in a newer, more energy efficient model can result in halving your energy consumption.
  • Keep it clean – Ensuring that the area around the outside compressor unit is clean will increase air circulation and provide more efficient home cooling.
  • Check air ducts – Climb into your crawl spaces to check for any drafts coming from the air ducts, as insulating them will decrease the loss of cool air and increase energy efficiency.
  • Close doors – Closing the doors around your house will help to keep the cool air trapped inside each room, especially if you have a two-storey home or high or vaulted ceilings. However, you should also consider your thermostat placement in order to avoid inaccurate temperature gauging.

Have you got any great tips for home cooling that you’d like to share with us and other readers? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

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