An interesting paradox in summer heat is that of the fan. A fan, whether it is generated by muscle power or by electric current actually adds heat, not cooling. So, how does using a fan make you feel cooler? The answer lies in the wind chill factor.
The wind chill factor is the temperature a person feels because of the wind. No matter what the temperature is in the room, if the air is moving, it feels cooler on the skin than non-moving air. Because the skin has thousands of tiny sweat glands which produce moisture, the effect of evaporation will cool your skin and make you feel cooler than you would in an utterly still room.
Since fans vary in the amount of air moved and the speed at which it is moved, there are no simple tables which one could refer to in order to calculate the exact results received by using a fan. There are complex formulas which can be used to calculate wind chill factor, but even they have outside limitations, For example, wind speeds above 45 miles per hour do not result in additional cooling effects.
Additionally, if the temperature in a room is 80 degrees, and the effects of the wind chill factors make it feel like 70 degrees, the temperature in the room is still 80 degrees. A fan whether mechanical or not, does not cool the air.
The major advantage to fans as a way to be more comfortable in summer heat is the cost of the energy. Certain types of room fans do not require the use of outside energy sources in order to be effective. Alternatively, the use of solar energy is a cost effective alternative once the initial outlay for solar panels is discounted. A third option is the use of windmills to generate enough power to run the fans. Once again, initial capital outlay is significant, but there is little if any additional cost for the energy.
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