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Choosing Between Air Conditioner or Fan? The pros and cons ...
Home Appliances & Tech4 minutes read
11833 views
11833 views
The tropical heat is getting unbearable and you are thinking about replacing your little electric fan with an air conditioner. Or should you simply get a more powerful fan? Let’s weigh the pros and cons of each.
Different ways of cooling
The main difference in how they function is in the method of cooling. Air conditioners introduce cold air into a room, keeping it cool even when you are not in it. By nature, air conditioners are more effective in keeping a room cool, regardless of the temperature outside the room.
Conversely, fans blow warm air off you, giving you the feeling that you are enjoying a breeze. However, this effect does not keep the room constantly cool like how air conditioners do.
Power consumption
The humble electric fan is never going to consume as much power as an air conditioner, no matter how efficient the latter. Even if several fans are turned on at the same time in a room, they are still likely to consume less energy than an air conditioner.
Generally, a ceiling fan will use about 50-60 watts whereas an air conditioner will consume anything from 500 watts to over 1,000 watts.
Furthermore, a fan is only effective when it is blowing on you. Hence it can be turned off when you are not present. An air conditioner, on the other hand, has to be turned on for the full duration of time needed to maintain the same temperature in the room.
Cost
A cursory look at prices between fans and air conditioners will show that undoubtedly, the latter is a more expensive option. What’s more, a central air conditioning system requires extensive installation work that should only be done by a contractor. In contrast, a window air conditioner can be easily mounted by a contractor and cost less to install.
A common electric table or floor fan usually does not require professional installation. In fact, if one is handy, one can even easily install a wall-mounted fan himself. However, ceiling fans should be installed professionally for safety and optimum performance.
Air Filter
Another clear benefit from using air-conditioners is that they also filter the air from dust, soot and other particles. This is especially so in reducing exposure to air pollution such as the haze problem.
As a fan does not pump air into a room (it merely circulates air within a room), normal ventilation is still required leading to exposure to air quality outside of the room. A fan also has no filtering effect on the air it circulates.
Portability
With the exception of ceiling or wall-mounted fans, most floor fans available commercially are of the portable nature. This can be a consideration if you are planning to change address in the foreseeable future. Similarly, a window air conditioner can also be moved from home to home. However, a central air-conditioner system is permanently fixed to your home ventilation ducts.
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