October 10, 2024, 10:36 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Summer is here – and so is the heat. If this also penetrates your own home, a fan can provide a breath of fresh air. However, it is important to set it up correctly.
A fan is often indispensable on hot summer days. If the air in your home doesn’t get any cooler despite the appliance running, this could be due to the fan being positioned in an unfavorable place. But where should it ideally be placed? Can you still open the windows? What mistakes should be avoided if you want to position a fan correctly?
Mistake 1: Bringing warm air inside with the fan
If it is hotter outside than inside, especially during the day, the heat should stay outside. In this case, there is no point in setting up a fan with the window open. If it is also placed on the windowsill, it blows the warm air directly into the rooms. There is no cooling effect – quite the opposite. If the temperature inside and outside is the same, a cool draught will at least provide some refreshment.
Tip: It is better to darken your home when it is hot and close all windows and balcony doors. It‘s better not to use the aluminum foil trick to combat the heat, which is often recommended on the internet.
2nd mistake: Wrong location for the fan
In every home, there are rooms that are cooler than others. As a rule, the warmer areas are on the south side. If the fan is set up on the sunny side, it blows the warm air through the home. Cooling down? Not a chance!
Tip: Set up the fan on the shady side of the home. If this is in a cool inner courtyard, the fresher air can be transported inside from there through an open window.
3rd mistake: Not mixing the air layers in the room
Warm air rises, and cool air stays on the floor. It is, therefore, worth placing the fan on the floor – at an upward angle. This circulates the layers of air, which ensures a pleasant coolness.
Tip: For a better cooling effect, it may be worth filling a bowl with water and ice cubes and placing it in front of the fan. This cools the air flowing out. A damp cloth hanging over the back of a chair in front of the fan can also achieve this effect. However, this also increases the humidity in the room, which can encourage mold.
4th mistake: Leaving the fan on overnight
Even if it seems tempting to leave the fan running overnight, it’s better not to – for the sake of your health because it can quickly happen that you get cold despite the tropical heat at night. In addition, dust and pollen swirl around the room, which can have a negative effect on asthmatics and allergy sufferers, particularly if they are inhaled during sleep.
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Extra tip: Set up two fans
Better safe than sorry? In this case, you can actually take advantage of the double airflow generation. It works best with a balcony door and in the evening. The two-fan solution can be left in place overnight as long as they are not in the bedroom. Here’s how to do it:
- Place a fan on the floor in front of the balcony door. This points inward and directs the cooler evening air into the apartment.
- The second fan is placed in an elevated position, for example, on a chair or shelf near the door. This fan blows the warm air in the room, which rises upwards outside.
- The principle also works with two opposing windows. One directs the cool air inwards; the other directs the warm room air outwards. However, this requires somewhat more powerful fans.