Window fans are a natural on hot summer nights. Photo: Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services
Everyone knows that putting a box-style window fan in the window will make a hot room feel a bit cooler. But not many people know that putting two fans in a room is immeasurably better!
The trick is to have one fan blowing
in at one window and the other blowing
out at another window. A single fan isn't strong enough to move the huge mass of air in most rooms very quickly. Consequently, it can't overcome the heat build-up inside. This approach works on the same principle as a hot air heating system. One duct supplies warm air while the return duct removes cooled air from the room. Without a return, your heating system's performance will suffer.
This two-fan trick even works in hard-to-cool rooms on a third floor or in a hot, stuffy attic.
If your windows won't accommodate a box fan, an oscillating stand fan will work. Buy models that allow you to lock the position and place one in front of each window.
In addition to cooler inside temperatures, the two-fans approach saves money. Two box-style window fans are less expensive ($5 to $35 each) to purchase than an air conditioner ($110 for a small one), less expensive to operate, and usually longer lasting, too.
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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
I'm installing AC in my house along with remodeling my kitchen. Http://www.kitchenremodelingguide.info Can't wait till it's all done!
ReplyI'm from Louisiana. We know all about "The powers out!" So go to your home improvement store or wal-Mart or wherever and buy a fan that runs on batteries. Try and limit the use just to the times it's important, like when you're trying to get to sleep and the room is hot enough to fry eggs on the countertop. Limiting the fan-on time will conserve the batteries which are many and expensive for battery operated fans.
ReplyGet two if you can...one for your face and one for your back. When the last hurricane came through here and we lost power I drove over to Winn-Dixie. I stood in the middle of the air-conditioned store and said with total joy "Thank God for Winn-Dixie!" I bought an ice chest, ice, canned meats, cold cuts and bread before spending a lot of time looking through magazines and books...anything to stay in the air-conditioning. I am now a big fan of Winn-Dixie and next time we have a major power outage.....well you know where you can find me! lol
Better than a grocery store is the mall. Lots to do, places to sit and you can eat if you want to. Also the movie theater. The only trouble is, when we lose power to a hurricane, usually they do also. During Wilma, the grocery stores lost tons of cold and frozen food. Did they think of giving it away? Nope. Threw it away instead.
So, what do you do if you only have one window in each room?
ReplyOnly 1 window? You can get a duel window fan - One fan blows in and the other out. You can find them at Home Depot and probably Walmart. You can definitely find them online.
PUNT !!
Two fans may be better than one, but they don't even BEGIN to compare with air conditioning.
ReplySeriously tho, I'm in AL and it's about 111 degrees heat factor outside. What good is moving hot air into a room in this temp? A/C all the way...no matter the cost. Fans inside to move the A/C air around but not to bring in this heat...sorry...fail.
ReplyThere is a trick that seems even better, the Bionaire Window Fan with Remote Model # BW2100R-U Internet # 202099167 from Home Depot. In small rooms, or city apts. you don't always have two windows. This solves that problem. It is about $55.
ReplyThis is a new idea? Poor people knew about this trick about the same time windows and fans were invented :) It was a mighty well to do family that could afford to buy two fans and pay to run them. Best cooling device around were those hand held cardboard fans you brought home from church.
Reply"Best cooling device around were those hand held cardboard fans you brought home from church."
Most of those were supplied to the churches by Funeral Homes.
Yeah try this when living in southern Arizona with temps up to 116 degrees .. Two fans would just blow super hot air up your arse.
ReplyGood luck and good riddens - we use AC here and fans to diustribute the cool air rom the AC....
Two fans work great for moving hot stuffy air out of your lake house on the U P of Michigan on a sweltering July day. Here in Tennessee you just sweat as the two fans move the hot, humid, air from the outside throught the inside back out side.
ReplySame thing in Fl especially when you live 2 blocks from the ocean. In '89 I installed a Dayton 30" whole house fan in the hallway and it pulls the air in quite nicely even though the humidity is around 200%. Just repalced the 2 pillow block bearings that wore out after 21 years----------the very nerve!! Well, 26 bucks later I am enjoying somewhat cool air in the house again.
Better yet. Heat rises in a room so put the exit blowing fan and the window screens in the TOP of the exiting air window. Put the fan that sucks in the outside in the lower window section on the shady side of the house. This brings in the cooler air from the shady side of the house and blows the heated air to the outside on the hot side of the house. In addition to the air moved by the fans, it is also the natural convection of air movement.
ReplyWhen it gets hot, REALLY hot & you can't sleep, no fan or AC..Soak/ Wet a big towel w/ water, cover your body w/ it! You would be surprised how fast it dries out! Then it's time to maybe re-think about a/c, or ceiling fans...C'mon, think about your kids/wife/husband whom ever...covered in wet towels to stay cool, or just survive the heat. I have been there, so I know.., yes kinda "hillbilly ish", but if it works, it works. Stay Cool!
Reply