We’re big fans of helping you beat the Texas heat. All month long, get $50 off any ceiling fan installation + with any service call in August, we’ll balance and check the direction of your existing fans for free!
It’s August in Texas, and the AC is doing most of the heavy lifting to keep your home livable. A ceiling fan can make the difference between feeling comfortable and sweating through the night, but only if it’s set up and running the right way.
1. Blade Direction Is Critical
In summer, ceiling fan blades should spin counterclockwise when viewed from below. This pushes air downward, creating a wind chill effect that makes you feel cooler, even though the actual room temperature hasn’t changed.
Quick check: stand under the fan. If you can feel a steady breeze hitting you, it’s turning the right way for summer. No breeze? Flip the direction switch on the motor housing.
2. Balance Protects the Motor and Your Comfort
A wobbling fan isn’t just noisy. It is slowly shaking itself apart. That vibration puts extra strain on the motor bearings, loosens blade screws, and can even cause wiring fatigue over time.
Common causes of imbalance include
• Dust buildup on one or more blades
• Loose blade or mounting screws
• Blade pitch slightly off between blades
Balancing the fan keeps it running smoothly, moves air more efficiently, and helps the motor last longer.
3. Excess Heat Is a Motor Killer
A fan motor should feel warm, not dangerously hot or give off a burnt smell. If it’s running hotter than normal, one or more of these may be happening:
• Overload: Worn bearings or unbalanced blades make the motor work harder, drawing more amps and generating more heat
• Poor ventilation: Dust inside the motor housing traps heat
• Voltage drop: Low voltage on an overloaded circuit forces the motor to work harder to maintain speed
• Insulation breakdown: For every ~18 °F the motor runs above its rated temperature, insulation life is roughly cut in half
If the motor housing is too hot to touch comfortably or you detect an electrical odor, that’s a sign of developing failure. Addressing it early can mean a quick fix instead of a full replacement.
4. Fans Don’t Cool the Room They Cool You
Ceiling fans don’t reduce the ambient temperature of the air in a room. Instead, moving air speeds evaporation of sweat and increases heat loss from your skin, so you feel cooler.
That effect means you can raise your thermostat by around 4 °F while staying comfortable, which can reduce AC use by up to 30% during the cooling season. If nobody’s in the room, turn the fan off to conserve energy because it won’t have any cooling effect without someone there to feel it.
5. When It’s Time to Replace
If your fan is more than 10 to 12 years old, still wobbles after balancing, or has a grinding motor noise, it’s often more cost effective to replace it than repair it. Newer fans often have better blade pitch, improved motor efficiency, and quieter operation.
Bottom line: In peak summer heat, a properly installed, balanced, and correctly set ceiling fan keeps you more comfortable, reduces strain on your AC, and prevents unnecessary wear on your equipment.
August Special
All through August:
• $50 off any ceiling fan installation
• Free balancing and blade direction check add on with any service call!
Whether you need a brand new fan installed or just want to make sure the ones you have are working at their best, we will make sure you’re set up for maximum comfort before the month is over.
Offer ends August 31. Book now to lock in your savings.
(512)280-8847 . becky@dunmanelectric.com . contact us
To stay up to date with our latest offers, check out our website at www.dunmanelectric.com
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