There is an ongoing debate that may as well never result in a definite answer regarding whether air conditioning units are better than electric fans, or vice versa. However, comparing to seemingly similar but quite different from each other ventilation and cooling options doesn’t seem to be completely fair. That’s why we decided to, instead of taking a side, listing the pros and cons of both air conditioning units and electric fans. This way, we will let you be the judge, and choose the one that best suits your situation without us interfering.
First, we will look at the advantages that come from electric fans, so that we can start looking at the reasons why they haven’t gone out of fashion, and probably never will.
- Electric fans are more accessible in terms of costs and repairing them or replacing them tends to be budget-friendly, too.
- Electric fans are easily transportable, so it is really easy to carry from one room to another, or when moving to another place.
- They are the best option for temporary cooling solutions, especially when it comes to keeping you cool at your desk.
- Electric fans are easy to assemble, and you can relocate them as many times as you want.
- Also, they are the best option when looking to reduce your electricity consumption, since they leave a much smaller carbon print.
Even when these characteristics of a fan might make it the obvious winner, they also come with some considerable disadvantages we should keep in mind.
- No matter the size and the power of the fan you choose, these are not the best solution to cool off large spaces, and we should use them in small rooms only.
- Sitting too close to the fan tends to be quite unpleasant, especially if we work with papers or documents, as the fan will blow them all away.
- If we don’t clean the blades of our fans, they accumulate a lot of dust and dirt, which will be blown around the area as soon as we turn it on.
- Electric fans can represent a minor safety hazard, especially for those with small kids in their homes or offices.
Now, we said above that comparing electric fans against AC units might not be the fairest thing to do. Here are the advantages of air conditioning units.
- Air conditioning units might be the only option we have when we want to cool down larger areas, like offices, classrooms, houses, and apartments.
- Most of AC units nowadays come with programmable or automated functions, so you can have the temperature of your house just as you like it right before you get there.
- AC manufacturers are starting to pay more attention to energy consumption, offering more eco-friendly alternatives than in the past.
- Because of modern home design, air conditioning units provide an even regulation of indoor temperature regardless of the size and shape of your home or building.
AC units seem to be simply more flexible and efficient in many different scenarios. However, these are the downsides of installing and owning air conditioning units in our home or building.
- Installing, repairing, and replacing an air conditioning unit can be significantly more expensive than electric or ceiling fans.
- AC units require constant maintenance and a more complex initial layout.
- We need to hire certified professionals to carry out regular checkups, repairs, and replacement of our equipment.
- Some units can generate harmful gases that threaten the ozone layer, making AC units a less eco-friendly alternative.
- If we are not careful, we can end up wasting a lot of electricity, which would be reflected in high energy bills.
After reading the pros and cons of both ac units and electric fans, we can make an informed decision on whether we should install air conditioning in our homes and buildings, or if getting electric fans would work much better. Which would you prefer? Let us know in the comments section below.