INDIANA — Temperatures may be climbing higher across central Indiana and many Hoosiers are turning to crank their ac and fans to keep cool in the heat. Electricity bills are the next thing that typically will increase as you boost your air. One way to pinch pennies from your energy company would be to use a “window fan”. They use less energy than air conditioners and therefore are friendlier both on your pocketbook and the environment.
Experts now say the direction they face rather in or out could determine just how much your monthly bill is. Box fans are great for pushing the hot air out of your home so you should place them on the coolest side of your house. The U.S. Department of Energy says windows near shady, cooler outdoor areas usually provide the best intake.
On the western/hottest side of your home, you’ll want to face window fans to blow air out of the house. If your house has multiple floors, you can consider putting the window fan facing out on the upper floor where indoor temps are the highest.
Experts say most box fans use around 50-100 watts of power per hour and a 20-inch box fan consumes about 50-75 watts per hour. Which is about 50% more than a standard ceiling fan but far less power than a normal ac that can use 500-5,000 watts of electricity.
How much does it cost to run a box fan?
You can use a simple formula to calculate how much money it costs to run a box fan. But first, here’s the simple answer: ‘roughly $0.19 a day — that’s if you’re running a 50-watt fan for 24 hours and the price of your electricity is $0.16/kWh, which was the average cost of residential electricity in Indiana in May 2023’, according to energybot.com.
With the above equation one box fan running nonstop will typically cost just under $6 a month.
