Since the majority of ceiling fans are energy-efficient, it makes sense that they don’t cost a lot. But the cost varies because of many factors, such as the type of motor that the ceiling fans use or the cost of electricity that differs in every place. What ceiling fans essentially do is they use a motor to rotate the blades in order to circulate the air, so that the cool air spreads. When comparing ceiling fans to air conditioners, they are the safest bet here because they cost a lot less so they’re very economical.
Fun fact: the size of a fan has little to do with the cost of a ceiling fan. Bigger fans might need more electricity in order to spin, whereas smaller fans have to work harder so that the same airflow output is created. To put it simply, both small and big fans use the same amount of electricity more or less.
There are some other things that you need to consider about the cost of a ceiling fan:
- The fan’s speed settings
- How frequently you use the fan
- Your usual rate for electricity
- The type of motor that your ceiling fan uses
How much electricity do ceiling fans use?
Ceiling fans cost very little actually, but on average, they take less than $0.01 to run per hour. The power of a ceiling fan is measured in watts. What you can do is first identify the wattage that your fan uses, then you need to know how many hours a day you use your fan. On average, the number of watts that a ceiling fan uses per hour ranges between 10 to 120 watts.
Also, consider the capacity of watts that your ceiling fan uses. For instance, if your fan has a capacity of 60 watts, then you’re spending around $0.12 per hour. After this, the electricity usage is further divided into other categories:
Per hour:
There are some calculations that you need to take in order to find out how much your ceiling fans cost per hour. You should calculate in kilowatts, 1 kilowatt – 1,000 watts. For example, 60 watts multiplied by $0.12 is 7.2. Then, divide 7.2 by 1,000, and you’re left with 0.007 which shows you how much one hour of ceiling fan costs.
Per day:
You need to know how many hours a day you use your ceiling fan, so if your average is 7 hours, then this will be something like this:
60 x 7 = 420-watt hours.
The calculations as to how much you spend daily for running a ceiling fan mean that you have to multiply the cost that you spend per hour with the average number of hours that you use the fan daily:
$0.007 x 7 = 0.049, and this is how much your ceiling fan costs per day.
Per month:
Depending on whether your ceiling fan uses an average of 360-watt hours daily, then a month of ceiling fan would look similar to:
360 x 30 = 10,8000.
Again, you should calculate in kilowatts, so you divide 10,800 by 1,000, and you end up with 10.8 kilowatt hours.
But in order to find out how much a ceiling fan costs monthly, just multiply the energy usage for a month with the amount of kilowatt:
10.08 x $0.12, which leaves you with $1.3 per month.
The total cost of a ceiling for an entire year will be:
$1.3 x 12 = $15.6.
AC or DC motors – Which cost more?
If you happen to a have a ceiling fan with a DC motor, then it might cost you somewhere between $0.0018 per hour, 4 cents per day, $1.20 per month, and $15.58 per year. On the other hand, ceiling fans that use AC motors cost 5-8 times more. So, if you’re unsure whether you should pick a ceiling fan with a DC or AC motor, DC is the right way to go. This can be useful especially when you have more than a fan at home, so that you don’t have to worry about your electric bill that much.
A simple fan is not that expensive, especially when it’s used at low speeds. However, the cost adds up if there are many fans that operate at the same time, or if they’re left on when no one’s in the room. For example, if an AC ceiling fan would be left on for 24 hours at high speed at the rate of 25.6 cents/kWh, the daily cost for that would be 36 cents, and $131.40 per year.
How much does it cost to run a fan overnight?
The cost of a fan also depends on the type of ceiling fan that you have, how much your energy costs, and how long you’re using the fan. And once you know the output of your kilowatt, you need to multiply it with the amount of electricity that you pay for 1 kW.
For example, if a kW costs 0.21 cents, this would be: 0.84kW x 0.21 = 0.17c.
A power tariff with a unit rate of 0.25c, would cost less than 0.12c per night.
Overall, this will depend on the cost of your tariff and how much electricity you pay for 1kW (which you can find on your energy bill).
Energy consumption for low, medium and high-speed ceiling fans
The energy consumption varies depending on the type of speed that your ceiling fan uses and the speed setting that you usually use. So, the average power consumption would be:
- Low speed – 8.8 watts
- Medium speed – 26.9 watts
- High speed – 67 watts
In order for you to convert the usage of your fan to kilowatt-hours, you need to multiply the average amount of watts with the number of hours that your fan operates, and then divide it by 1,000. Lastly, you multiply the kilowatt-hour number with the rate of your tariff bill. Usually, a flat rate tariff ranges between 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Tips on how to save electricity with ceiling fans
Turn the fan off when you leave the room: Although ceiling fans don’t cost a lot and they don’t use too much electricity, it’s better to try and save some money when you can (even if it seems a little). When you go out of the room, make sure to switch off the fan so it doesn’t waste energy unnecessarily.
Use ceiling fans with no light: Yes, ceiling fans with lighting fixtures can be very appealing, but if you’re trying to save some money, you might want to opt for ceiling fans with no light fixtures because they’re more energy-efficient. But if you still want a ceiling fan with light, then LED light bulbs are a better option.
Check for the direction of the fan’s rotation: When trying to save money and electricity, the direction in which the fan rotates is a big factor. During the summer, the direction of the fan’s rotation should be set in a counterclockwise rotation so that air moves downwards. In winter, your fan’s direction should be set in a clockwise rotation so that air is absorbed from beneath the fan and towards the ceiling.