Most UK homes are designed to keep the heat in which makes getting to sleep in the summer especially tricky – one expert has shared the right way to use a fan to help cool down a room much faster
A power and cooling engineer has shared the “correct” way to use your fan to ensure a room cools down much faster and more effectively. As the warmer summer weather continues, and looming heatwaves remain on the forecast, many people are eager to find methods of keeping their homes as cool as possible.
Most UK homes aren’t equipped for rising temperatures as they’re often designed to keep the heat in. Air conditioners still aren’t a common feature in many homes, so many turn to using a fan and keeping it going all night long in a bid to get some decent sleep in the sweltering heat.
Lots of people look to social media on a quest for answers or tips on better methods to reduce the temperature at home. And one woman caused a stir after sharing a tip from her partner, who works as a power and cooling engineer, on TikTok.
In the simple six second tip, a fan can be seen in front of an open window. Over the top of the footage, the woman added the words: “When he says if we point the fan out the open window, it will cool the room down quicker and he’s right”.
In the caption accompanying the clip – which has racked up more than 162,000 likes so far – the woman simply penned: “That’s on living with a power and cooling engineer”.
Hundreds of people shared their thoughts in the comments section. One person said: “Bernoulli’s principle – fast moving air sucks in even more surrounding air. So pointing it out the window (at a distance) will draw a lot of the air in the room out the window with it”.
Another joked: “Why am I learning more on TikTok than I learned in school?”
Someone else shared: “We only have AC in the living room, that’s what we do to redirect the cold into the bedrooms. I thought my boyfriend was crazy too when he said it but it works.”
Les Roberts, energy expert at Bionic, commented: “Opening opposite windows or doors allows air to flow through. For even better airflow, you can place a second fan facing inward at the opposite opening to pull cooler outside air into the room, creating a strong cross-breeze.
“Positioning the fan to face outward pushes the hot indoor air outside, which helps draw cooler air in from the other opening.”
Les continued: “This method works best when it’s cooler outside than inside – usually in the evening, overnight, or early morning – as the temperature difference creates a natural flow of air.
“The temperature gradient enhances the movement of air, allowing the fan to more effectively push hot air out and pull cooler air in, resulting in a more comfortable indoor environment.
“This approach is energy-efficient and can significantly cool your living space without air conditioning by exchanging hot indoor air for cooler outdoor air through natural ventilation enhanced by fans. It’s a simple trick that could make a noticeable difference, especially at night, when outdoor temperatures drop.”
On the topic of air conditioning, Roberts added: “On average, portable air-conditioning units cost around £8.40 to run per day, whereas a fan could cost you as little as 71 pence.
“By utilising a fan to its full advantage with this hack and forfeiting air con, households could save nearly £55 a week.”