© Xiaomi
As summer temperatures rise, it’s only natural to turn to fans in an attempt to get a cooler night’s sleep. With electricity prices on the rise in recent years, it’s natural to wonder how much this will impact your energy bill. Let’s take a closer look at how much it costs to run a fan all night, based on EDF’s rates.
Example of a typical fan
Our example here will take into account the use of a fan with a power of 50W. This type of fan is quite common and usually corresponds to a pedestal fan model. Let's consider an average usage of 8 hours per night, generally covering the period from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
How much does it cost to leave a fan on all night& ;nbsp;?
© Unsplash/Nikola Johnny Mirkovic
For our calculation, we will use EDF's regulated tariff (blue tariff) as a basic option. Currently, this tariff is set at €0.27 including tax per kilowatt hour (kWh) for a subscribed power of 6 kVA. It is important to note that this rate may vary depending on the type of contract you have subscribed to.
By using the 50w fan for 8 hours, it consumes 0.4 kWh. The cost for one night of use will therefore be 0.108 euros. Rounded to the nearest cent, this represents approximately 10 euro cents per night. We have known more expensive for a peaceful sleep.
And per month then ?
Finally, it is pleasing for our bill to think that summer really started at the beginning of August. If you use your fan for all 31 nights of the month, the cost will be 3.35 euros.
Our comparison with other devices
© Unsplash/Carlos Lindner
To put this cost into perspective, let's compare it to other common household appliances. A refrigerator consumes about 1-2 kWh per day, or 0.27 to 0.54  ;€ per day. Compared to a fan, a mobile air conditioner can consume 10 kWh per night, or around €2.70 per night. Suffice to say that you will have to be careful to use this type of system sparingly, in comparison with this air conditioning which consumes 5 times less electricity. We can therefore see that the fan is in the low range of consumption, well below energy-consuming devices such as air conditioners.
Beware of factors influencing the cost
Let's remember here that this example is in a rather classic case of typical use. Several elements can vary this cost. The speed of the fan plays an important role: using a lower speed will also reduce consumption. The duration of use directly impacts the cost, a shorter or longer night will modify the bill. Energy efficiency is also to be taken into account, recent fan models are often more energy efficient. Finally, the electricity rate can vary according to regions and contracts, in particular with peak/off-peak options.
How to optimize consumption?
To further reduce the operating cost of the fan, several strategies can be implemented. Using a timer to turn off the fan after you fall asleep is a good option. You can also opt for a model with a “night” mode that gradually reduces the power. Finally, it is a good idea to combine the use of the fan with other natural cooling methods, such as open the windows at night (using a mosquito net to avoid unpleasant surprises) and close the shutters during the day.
The fact remains that the best fans of 2024 offer an excellent comfort/price ratio, especially compared to more energy-intensive alternatives such as air conditioning. However, it is always wise to remain attentive to your consumption. Although the individual cost is low, the accumulation of small consumptions can have a significant impact on the electricity bill.
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