With summer here people across the UK are looking for ways to cool down - the experts at BOXT have revealed how much fans cost consumers to run, as well as sharing ways to maximise their efficiency to keep costs down.
To work out the cost of running a fan, you need to know how much you pay for one unit of energy (1kw), which should be listed on your energy bill. According to the Energy Guide, the national average price per pence/kWh of electricity is 34p.
Next, you need to work out the kW output of your fan. You can do this by checking its wattage which can be found on the fan or the instruction leaflet. Once you know the wattage, convert this figure into kilowatt-hours by simply dividing the wattage by 1,000. This will reveal the amount of energy your fan uses per hour.
Multiply these two figures, the cost of a unit of energy by the kW output of your fan, and that will be how much it is costing to run your fan per hour. To work out how much this is costing you per day, you can multiply by how many hours your fan is switched on.
Here are some examples:
Box fans consume 0.073 kWh worth of electricity per hour at full speed. With an average electricity price of 34p, these fans can cost up to 2.48p per hour. For an eight-hour working day, this would cost 19.84p.
Tower fans use 0.0565 kWh on average, costing around 1.9p per hour to run. If left on for 24 hours, this would add around 45.7p to your energy bill.
Standing fans can use up to 0.0425 kWh each hour - costing 1.4p for each hour they are used and around 11.2p per night.
Andy Kerr, founder at BOXT said: “As temperatures rise, consumers often look for ways to cut their bills after a long and cold winter. However, it is possible to cost-effectively cool your household with fans during the summer months. Whilst the average 110w floor fan uses 2p of energy an hour or 48p a day, which would add £14.40 to your monthly energy bills, this price can be lowered if you are strategic with your fan and utilise their strengths.
“Many will keep their fans in storage during the colder months. However, this means they will have accumulated a lot of dust once you get them out - reducing their efficiency. Before switching them on, be sure to remove any dust from the blades and any other surfaces before using your fan to boost their efficiency.
“Fans are their most efficient on their lowest power setting, so pick the slowest speed which will give you a decent cooling breeze. Additionally, whilst you may be tempted to place your fan in front of an open window to try and improve its cooling effect, if it’s an especially hot day, this may result in blowing warm air throughout your home. Instead, you should try placing a bowl of ice cubes or cold water in front of the fan, which will help to circulate a cool breeze throughout your property.
“As summer approaches, more people across the UK will be looking to invest in or get out their fans to keep them cool. Whilst energy consumption remains a concern for many, running a fan is not as costly as one may assume.”
