Cool it this summer with a ceiling fan

It’s getting hot around here, that much is for sure, but before you begin a spendy air-conditioning project check out just how much the right ceiling fan can do for your cool:

• Ceiling fans don’t lower the temperature of a room, but spinning creates a wind chill effect that makes the room feel cooler by about 4 degrees.

• Ceiling fans cost about 9 to 13 cents a day to operate.

• In summer, set your fan counterclockwise. In winter, reverse to clockwise to move warm air to the center of the room.

Bigger rooms need bigger fans.

• Choose a 50- to 56-inch fan for rooms up to 225 square feet.

• Pick a 42- to 44-inch fan for rooms up to 144 square feet.

• Rooms up to 64 square feet can use a 32-inch fan.

Ceiling height is important. Blades should be at least seven feet off the floor. Eight feet is optimum.