Experts reveal the best place to put a fan to save money on your energy bills and cool a room fast

This summer has felt like heatwave after heatwave, and right now, my fan is rarely turned off. However, experts have warned that your fans could be adding more to your energy bills if you put them in the wrong place.

There’s no point investing in one of the best fans if you don’t position your fan in the right way. After all, if you’re not using it to the best of its ability, it will take longer to cool a room and contribute more to your energy bill.

Indeed, many modern fans are pretty energy efficient; however, with money tight for a lot of households, it’s important to know how to save money where you can. So, here’s how to position a fan to cool a room fast and save you a little cash in the process.

How much does a fan cost over summer?

The amount it costs to run the fan is, on average, around 8p an hour. However, this can rack up, and you could potentially see an extra £20 on your bills over the summer without feeling the benefit.

‘If the weather maintains, using your fan for 8 hours a day for a month this summer will set you back around £2.45.  However, if you were to have three fans in use at the same time across your house, this would cost £7.35 a month,’ explains Stephen Hankinson, energy efficiency expert at Electric Radiators Direct

‘The costs can really add up if you have multiple fans, you buy a more powerful fan that uses up more energy, or you run it consistently on a really high setting.’

Where to put a fan to save money

To get the most out of your fan, the key is in how to position your fan to cool a room.

'Positioning fans to create cross-ventilation, such as placing one near a window to draw in cooler air and another to push warm air out. This can improve airflow and comfort without relying on expensive air conditioning. If it’s cooler outside in the evening, place the fan near an open window to draw in the fresh air,' says Katie Lilywhite, AO’s air treatment expert.

'By using smart positioning instead of simply running fans on high all day, you can potentially cut your usage time in half, especially compared to the price of air conditioning.'

Alongside positioning your fan correctly, you should also clean your fan regularly to make it as efficient as possible, and consider how and when you use it.

‘Having a fan on when you are not in the room is pointless. It may feel like they ‘cool’ a space, but most fans can’t actually change a room’s temperature and only make the room feel colder by moving the air around. It’s the breeze they create that brings some relief in hot weather,’ says Stephen.

‘If you only use your fan when you are in the room, then this will reduce running costs. The rest of your house won’t be worse off (warmer) for doing this either. 

‘In general, it’s definitely worth only keeping these devices switched on when you need them, using a low power setting if you can, and also looking at the wattage of the fan you have bought so you’re not faced with a nasty shock when your energy bills arrive.’

Do you have any other energy-saving tips for keeping cool?