Many of us think placing a fan in the middle of the room will mean it cools down the space faster. Photo / TikTok / @lottiedalziel
Many of us think placing a fan in the middle of the room will mean it cools down the space faster. Photo / TikTok / @lottiedalziel
It's safe to say most of us have been – literally – feeling the heat of late.
If you're not blessed (and we really mean blessed) to have some kind of slick airconditioning set-up at your home, your hopes of staying cool have come down to a humble pedestal fan.
But if you're finding that all the fan seems to be doing is pushing hot air around your room, then chances are you're using it wrong.
Appliances Online's category expert Colin Jones told news.com.au that leaving your fan in the middle of a room with no ventilation will provide little relief from the heat.
"Placing your electrical fan in the middle of a room on a hot summer's day will only recirculate and move the warm air within that same area, limiting any fresh air that is coming in," he said.
"On a hot day, it is best to place your fan next to an open window or door so the fan can draw the cooler air from outside.
"Doing this forces the cooler air forward, leaving you with a nice, fresh and cool breeze."
Sydney journalist and sustainability activist Lottie Dalziel also shared the cool tip in a TikTok video, describing it as "mind blown".
"If you're somebody who uses these fans I'm about to blow your mind, quite literally," she said.
"What you need to do is move it to the best spot in order to cool it down, so utilise breezes outside. Place them by any windows or doorframes to push that breeze in or around your room. If you leave them in the middle of your room you're just blowing hot air everywhere."
It's actually better to place it in front of a door or window so that fresh air gets pushed through. Photo / TikTok @lottiedalziel
Her video has since been viewed more than 30,000 times, with several viewers backing up the cooling tip.
"It is concerning that people don't [do] this. Good thing you've demonstrated optimal use of a fan," one commented.
Jones also recommended having another source of ventilation when using your pedestal fan to optimise things further.
"It is also best to open another window or door at the end of your home to create a draught effect, keeping the cooler air moving and circulating around your home."
Jones suggested using an evaporative cooling system to bring the temperature down using the same method.
"These systems have water placed inside them and lower the room temperature by expelling water from the tank into the air by the motion of a fan.
"The best position for these is again in front of an open door or window drawing in the cool air from outside."
