how much electricity does a standing fan use

How Much Electricity Does a Standing Fan Use?

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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A standing fan, also known as a pedestal fan, comes in handy during warm seasons. We all want to cool down in the sweltering heat, and what better way than to put our fans on? They blow just the right amount of wind our way, keeping us refreshed during this period.

How much electricity does a standing fan use? Since the fan is used most of the time, you would want to know the running costs. This article will help you make an estimate.

How Many Watts Do Pedestal Fans Consume?

Watts refers to the amount of electricity that a device requires to work. Different types of fans use dissimilar amounts of electricity. The most common fan wattage for a standing fan is 40, while some can have an energy consumption of as low as 20 watts, and others can use up to 80 watts.

The model and settings you use on the fan are some of the key determinants of fan wattage. Still, most manufacturers place a sticker on the gadget to indicate the fan wattage details. This information tells you how much power that appliance will consume.

Factors That Determine Wattage of a Pedestal Fan

Example of a pedestal fan with adjustable height

Image Source: jpost.com

1. Model

The model of the standing fan will affect the amount of watts it consumes. This is because each model is manufactured using a different technology. For this reason, the manufacturer offers wattage details on each fan.

2. Speed Settings

Most standing fans have different speed settings. You not only turn it on, but you also determine how fast or slow the fan oscillates. A standing fan reaches the highest wattage when on max speed. Manufacturers write the wattage based on the maximum speed setting of the fan. Conversely, when the speed setting is low, the fan uses fewer watts. Noisy fans also consume more electricity compared to noiseless fans, which are ideal for bedrooms.

3. Size of the Blade

Different pedestal fans have dissimilar blade sizes. The blade size differs based on the size of the room you need to cool. The fans with longer blades will use more watts because the motor requires more power.

4. Material of the Blades

Manufacturers use dissimilar materials when building standing fans. The material used determines the wattage of the fan. For instance, heavy-duty industrial standing fans consume 100 to 200 watts since the material used to make them is heavy. Therefore, the motors will use more power for the blades to rotate. The opposite is true.

5. Duration of Use

The longer an appliance stays on, the more electricity it consumes. Additionally, the longer you keep the fan running, the more its power consumption. Switching off your fan when it is not in use and when no one is in the room is always advisable. This way, it will use less electricity, as the motor will rest.

How Much Electricity Does a Pedestal Fan Consume in an Hour?

To determine how much electricity a pedestal fan consumes, we must first know the power rating and operational hours. The power consumed is in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The power rating, however, refers to the highest amount of electricity allowed to flow in an appliance.

Please note: 1 kWh = 1000 watts

The average fan wattage for a pedestal fan is 40 watts per hour. Some use as low as 20 watts per hour, and others as much as 80 watts an hour. Therefore, if a fan uses 40 watts per hour, then the amount of electricity consumed will be:

40 watts/1000watts = 0.04kWh

A standing fan may be less effective than other cooling systems, such as air conditioners, box fans, or window fans. However, it is energy efficient and affordable compared to a typical tower fan but more effective than table fans.

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Standing Fan?

Pedestal fan that's remote controlled

Image Source: bravotv.com

If you have received your electricity bill, your pedestal fan will not have significantly contributed to the total. Still, the cost of running your standing fan will depend on your electricity tariff since electricity prices vary depending on where you live. The prices are in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Therefore, the cost of running a pedestal fan:

a) For an Hour

You will multiply the electricity price by the kilowatts the device uses per hour.

Total Cost = Cost of Energy x kWh per hour

Let us use a fan’s average wattage of 40 watts. Convert this into kilowatts per hour by dividing the figure by 1000

40 watts divided by 1000 = 0.04 kWh per hour

Thus, if, for example, your electricity tariff charges 16 cents per hour, then your cost to run your fan will be:

0.16 x 0.04 = $0.0064 cents per hour

b) For a Day

To get how much it will cost to operate the fan for a day, multiply the hourly cost by the number of hours the fan has been on.

For example, if the fan were running for 8 hours that day, the cost would be:

$0.0064 x 8 = $0.512 per day

c) For a Month

The running costs for a month will depend on the number of days the fan has been running. Therefore, if the fan has been used for 20 days, the electricity costs that month will be:

$0.512 x 20 = $1.024 per month

It is also worth noting that most people will not use their fans every day of the month for a typical year. These appliances will be off when people are not in the house or office, especially on weekends. Additionally, fans will not be of use during the winter season. As a result, the cost of running the standing fan is only subject to the days it is in use.

How Can I Reduce My Standing Fan’s Power Consumption?

Man sitting in front of a fan at home

Image Source: homeserve.com

We are all looking to conserve energy and ultimately reduce our electricity bills. This can be achieved by reducing our gadget’s rate of power consumption. Here are a few tips you can use to control a standing fan’s power consumption.

1. Adjust Your Fan’s Speed

Most of us like to have our standing fans running at high speed because they cool the room faster. However, the fan’s motor uses more energy to rotate the blades. Using the fan at a lower speed will consume less power.

2. Turn off the Fan When Not in Use

Your pedestal fan will not consume electricity when not in use. If you put it on standby mode, it will still use power. Therefore, it is advisable to turn off your fan and unplug it from the socket when not in use to conserve energy.

3. Position of the Fan

Consider where you place your pedestal fan to reduce its wattage. Ensure you place your fan in a place where there is enough airflow. This will help propel the cool air to all corners of the room because the air is not blocked. Therefore, the fan will function more efficiently.

4. Clean the Blades Regularly

Fans tend to accumulate dirt on the blades over a period of time which makes them less efficient. Hence, cleaning the blades to remove dust and debris will increase efficiency. When your standing fan is running efficiently, its power consumption is low.

Frequently Asked Questions

Example of a pedestal fan

Image Source: Nameofmin on Unsplash.com

1. Which is better, a ceiling fan or a standing fan?

A ceiling fan is better than a standing fan because it can cool down a larger area. On average, standing fans consume more electricity ceiling fans consume more electricity than a standing fan. Most ceiling fans use an average of 31.1 watts at maximum speed. Pedestal fans, on the other hand, use between 20 and 80 watts with an average wattage of 40.

2. Which fan consumes less electricity?

Different fans use dissimilar amounts of electricity.

  • A Standing fan consumes 0.04 kWh per hour at maximum speed.
  • A ceiling fan has a lower power consumption of 0.0311 kWh per hour at the same speed setting.
  • The power consumption of tower fans is 0.0565 kWh per hour at max speed.
  • A box fan consumes 0.073 kWh per hour at maximum speed.
  • In general, bladeless fans use less electricity.

3. How much electricity does a fan consume in 24 Hours?

Fan wattage is dependent on the type of fan and model. To determine the energy consumed in a day, you need to know its power consumption in kWh per hour. Using the example of average fan wattage of 40, the energy consumed for an hour will be 0.04 kWh per hour. If the fan runs for 16 hours a day, the total energy consumed that day will be 0.64 kWh.

4. How much electricity does a fan consume per hour?

Different types of fans use dissimilar amounts of energy. However, on average, a fan can use 40 watts, which means that the fan uses 0.04 kWh.

5. Is a standing fan energy efficient?

Yes. It is an energy-efficient fan because it consumes less electricity. It will use an average of 40 watts per hour to blow cool air in a room with an airflow of 3450 cfm. Besides, the fan is not always used all year round; therefore, it saves on running costs. Also, there are standing fan models with an energy star.

Final Thoughts

Standing fans are popular because they offer cooling solutions in an instant. They are also flexible since you can move them from one room to another. The standing fan does not consume a lot of power, so the running costs are minimal. Plus, you can also purchase energy-efficient fans to save more energy.

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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