Ceiling fan vs air conditioning in an Illawarra summer

What an Illawarra summer is actually like

The coast between Thirroul and Gerringong gets a milder summer than Western Sydney. Afternoon sea breezes do a lot of the work, and many days sit comfortably in the high twenties. What catches people out is the humidity, the still nights in late summer, and the occasional hot northwesterly that pushes temperatures well into the thirties, especially further inland around Albion Park, Calderwood and Dapto.

That pattern matters when choosing between a ceiling fan and air conditioning, because the right answer depends on how many truly hot days you deal with.

How a ceiling fan cools you

A fan doesn't lower the room temperature. It moves air across your skin, which helps sweat evaporate and makes you feel cooler. On a warm, humid evening that breeze can make a room feel several degrees more comfortable.

Fans are cheap to run. A typical ceiling fan uses a small fraction of the power of an air conditioner, and DC motor fans use even less. They're quiet, they work as soon as you switch them on, and they're great in bedrooms where you want gentle airflow all night.

How air conditioning cools

A split system air conditioner actually removes heat from the room and pumps it outside. It also pulls moisture out of the air, which is a big help in humid weather. On those genuinely hot days, or when a heatwave lasts several nights, nothing else gets a house properly cool.

The trade-off is running cost and the need to keep windows and doors closed. Air conditioning works best in a closed room.

Why many homes use both

For a lot of local households, the sweet spot is ceiling fans throughout the house and air conditioning in the living area or main bedroom. On most summer days the fans and sea breeze are enough. On the hot ones, the air conditioning goes on, and running a fan alongside it spreads the cool air around so you can set the thermostat a couple of degrees higher.

Fans also help in winter. Most can be reversed to push warm air down from the ceiling, which is useful in rooms with heating.

Questions to ask yourself

• How many rooms need cooling? Fans can go in every bedroom for less than the cost of cooling each one with air conditioning.
• Does the house catch the sea breeze? Homes close to the water in Windang or Kiama Downs may barely need air conditioning.
• Is the roof well insulated? Poor insulation lets heat pour in and makes any cooling work harder.
• Are there health reasons to keep the house cool? Babies, elderly family members and some medical conditions make air conditioning more important.

Electrical considerations

Ceiling fans can usually go where a light currently is, using the existing wiring, with an extra switch or a remote. Air conditioners need their own circuit from the switchboard, and older boards may need work to handle the extra load. If you're planning both, it's worth having the switchboard looked at early. Our switchboard services page explains what's involved.

Making the most of what you have

Close blinds on west-facing windows in the afternoon, open the house up when the southerly or sea breeze arrives, and use fans to push that cooler evening air through. It's a simple routine that a lot of Illawarra homes rely on.

Let's keep the house comfortable

See our ceiling fan installs page for fan options. If you've got a split system and want to control it from your phone, we set up climate control apps as part of our smart home work, and our renovation and new home electrical page covers planning fans into a build.

Call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346, and send photos of the rooms you're thinking about.