The US Department of Energy has new energy efficiency rules for ceiling fans. These efficiency standards will begin implementation on September 30, 2017, with a compliance deadline of January 21, 2020.
What does that mean for you?
Under these new guidelines, ceiling fan efficiency standards would save about 11 percent of the energy used in traditional ceiling fan motor technology. With these new standards in place, over a 30 year period, electricity consumption would drop by about 80 billion kilowatt hours, with a net savings around $2.8 billion.
Most ceiling fans are also sold with light kits, which are required to come with light bulbs. The new rules also require these to be upgraded too, which further reduces electricity consumption by about 14.4 million kilowatt hours, which saves an additional $660 million.
About 80 million homes throughout the US have at least one ceiling fan, with one in four of those homes having four or more throughout the home. There is a wide variance in the efficiencies of current technology. Depending on the age, your ceiling fan may be Energy Star approved. With this specification, at high speed, the most efficient fan can be as much as five times more efficient than the least efficient model. But again, it depends on age and manufacturer, with little control over design specifications.
This new rule requires minimum energy efficiency levels, which will be expressed as airflow delivery per unit of power consumption. This means it will be easier for comparison between models, and will help you select the most energy efficient model for your budget and lifestyle.
Ceiling fans come in all shapes and sizes, with different blade styles, both decorative and functional. Likewise, ceiling fan light kits offer different lighting options, with different size bases that require different bulbs. These guidelines will close loopholes and allow you to understand the total impact a choice will make on your energy consumption.
Call R.S. Andrews for Ceiling Fan Installation in Atlanta
Whether you’ve been considering adding a ceiling fan to your home, or are interested in replacing old technology, if you have further questions, we can help.