Do you prefer aircon or fan?

Do you prefer aircon or fan? - A picture of an air conditioner aircon unit. Photo source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2270/2044969585_f5513ab1a1.jpg?v=0 .
Singapore
March 5, 2008 11:24am CST
I am asking this question on the assumption that it is not winter now. If it is winter, we would obviously not want either. :P Let's assume it is hot and you have the choice of either the aircon or fan with windows open. Which do you prefer and why? For me, I much rather like the fan because I want the ventilation and I don't like it when it gets too cold. I know the aircon is a symbol of prestige (if we compare it with the fan) but the fan remains my personal preference most of the time. What about you? Do you prefer the aircon or fan?
26 people like this
113 responses
• United States
5 Mar 08
Without a doubt the air conditioner. Where I live the humidity gets so bad in the summer I could not survive without the A/C. I like hot weather and lived in North Africa with just a fan as the nights were cool and there was no humidity.
4 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
Humidity bad as in too wet or dry?
2 people like this
• United States
5 Mar 08
Very wet, the average in Savannah, in the month of August is 85% at 7.30am and 80% at 8pm. We really have the "dog days" here.
3 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Sounds very bad!
1 person likes this
@weemam (13372)
5 Mar 08
here in Scotland it isn't often a problem to keep cool as we can get all 4 seasons in the one day , I do have a ceiling fan on my ceiling light in the bedroom and a couple of desk fans , We can usually find a nice shady bit to sit in the garden and there is always a cool room in the house xx
4 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
Wow, all 4 seasons in the one day??!!!
2 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
You've got to explain this sweetie.:P
2 people like this
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
5 Mar 08
weemam Wow 4 seasons in one day! I thought this winter was bad with having all four seasons.
3 people like this
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
5 Mar 08
I prefer the fan and not only because im a cheapskate but I love fresh air. On nice days I even skip the dryer and set my clothing outside I really love to dry my bedding outdoors it makes everything smell so fresh plus it saves money and energy.
3 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
Nah... you are not a cheapskate! You just love fresh air like me! :)
2 people like this
• Singapore
9 Mar 08
I beg to differ!:P
• United States
7 Mar 08
Air dryed clothes smell soooo much better than dryer dryed clothes, I love to hang my clothes out to dry and I dont consider myself a cheapskate, its called frugal in spending hehe
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18164)
• Orangeville, Ontario
5 Mar 08
I don't find any benefit to a fan, really. It doesn't cool me down when it is hot and humid. We have air conditioning but we keep it set at a high temp so that it doesn't get too cold in here. (Cold makes my legs ache). Plus we like to try and keep the costs down. We have ceiling fans in our bedrooms, kitchen and family room. Since we live in a 4-level sidesplit, the A/C and heat don't reach the top level too well so the bedrooms are either too hot (summer) or too cold (winter). We all use our ceiling fans in the summer but I tend to turn them off after everyone is alseep for the sake of the hydro bill.
3 people like this
@patgalca (18164)
• Orangeville, Ontario
5 Mar 08
I set mine at 26 degrees celcius. But because I spend so much time in the basement, it's pretty chilly. But the rest of the house is comfortable. I don't think it is normal to be walking in from outside like you are walking into a refrigerator like, say, when you go to the grocery store. I think it is unhealthy too.
3 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
tsk tsk - You are in the running for best response!
I have mine set at 27 deg Cel and I thought it is pretty cold. I can't understand why the government here recommends 21 (I think... if someone can correct me, would be great) I find 27 cold already. Somehow if I turn 28, it would be too cold. And yes, fans will need less electricity to run and save on bills.
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
5 Mar 08
Well, really stretching my imagination here as we got more snow last night and it's a heatwave of 20 degrees right now but I'll try :) I hate air conditioners - open the windows get fresh air, run the fans. I will admit during the heat of the day it works best to close the windows on the south side of the house but otherwise I prefer as many open as possible.
3 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Same here, more fresh air! ^^
1 person likes this
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
5 Mar 08
Here is southeast Texas it is nearly impossible to go without a/c in the summer. It is too hot and humid to live with just a fan. During milder days both in winter and summer I use the ceiling fan in the living room a lot just to keep the air circulating. We have a small fan in our bedroom caue it has no ceiling fan. We cant open our windows because there are no screens on them plus there is so much dirt blowing around here it would just end up inside.
3 people like this
• United States
5 Mar 08
It can be between 80 to 100+ degrees F. here with 50to 80% humidity.Sticky at the very least.
3 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
How hot is hot? It's usually about 30ish deg Celsius here.
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
I see.
1 person likes this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
5 Mar 08
I much prefer having the windows open full stop, the fan is good too, I always find air conditioning bad for the health as it's spreading germs and particles in the air and it's circulating the same air all the time. I find that it affects my breathing, so I will always prefer to have the window open. I hate building with air conditioning because all the windows are locked and you can't open them.
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
That's what I thought about the aircon too - so I refrain if possible...
2 people like this
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
5 Mar 08
For me I would say that I definately like air conditioning better than a fan when it gets really hot and muugy here in the summer. I can't sleep at night if it's too warm. If it's not too warm and like in the low 70's then I don't mind using the fan.~D
3 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
Indeed, if it gets too warm, you would just be turning and tossing.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
9 Mar 08
I like air conditioning, or ac as we call it round these parts....
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
9 Mar 08
I am also in Texas, like at least one of your other respondents. It gets so hot and humid people DIE from the heat.
2 people like this
• Singapore
9 Mar 08
We use aircon for short here.
2 people like this
@mummymo (23706)
13 Mar 08
Well here in Scotland , even in summer there really is not much need for aircon! I do have 2 fans though , a large floor standing one and a smaller one at the side of my bed! I too like to have the windows open when they are on - in fact I love to have the windows open whenever the weather permits it! xxx
2 people like this
• Singapore
15 Mar 08
Relaxing in the breeze... there's one great sensation!
1 person likes this
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
5 Mar 08
It really depends on if it is humid or not. If it isn't humid then I can handle just a fan. But the only thing that tends to help with the humdity here is Southern Indiana is an airconditioner. I guess they call it aircon from where you are.
3 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
They are the same. Aircon is short for AIR CONditioner unit.:)
2 people like this
@Wario_1 (965)
• Sweden
5 Mar 08
Airconditioner, even if i dont have any problems with the labour of constantly waving a fan back and forth(at leat for a short time) i dont like it. I like a constant brease more than a sporadic flapping, yea you can decide how hard to fan yourself. I think most aircons have output stages, so you can roughly decide how weak/strong you want it to blow.
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Doesn't the fan rotate automatically?
1 person likes this
@Wario_1 (965)
• Sweden
6 Mar 08
I thought you ment a non el fan, not any electric fan. Yea its true that electric fans turn a propeller that blows air, if i knew that id had rather chosen a fan.
@rashmigs (400)
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
Im ok with anything. In office its always the AC on, and im used to it. But at some other few places, there are fans. Im not so concerned about this matter. Weather in Bangalore(India) is not all that hot that we need AC/Fan all the time. We hardly need it here. Only for about 2 months in hot summer. Rest of the time, its hardly needed.
3 people like this
• Singapore
5 Mar 08
I was just pondering this question because I have the choice of either at home.
2 people like this
@fabzyboy (130)
• Belgium
6 Mar 08
to be honist i like a fan that turns back and forth becouse if the fan is on you get a cool airblast as it hits your face and then you get a hot blast as it truns away lol and then it dus it all over again :P
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Good for you!:)
1 person likes this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Lol...
1 person likes this
@fabzyboy (130)
• Belgium
6 Mar 08
hi :) I know I'm kunda wierd I like simple stuff like fans going nack and forth :P its so much fun just to injoy the simple stuff in life:) greetings fabz:)
2 people like this
@limcyjain (3516)
• India
19 Jun 08
For me the airconditioner is the first and the only preference. When we did not have one the fan and air cooler too served the purpose but ever since i have used the aircon the body has become accoustomed to it and i need one at every place i work and stay during the summer season.
2 people like this
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
5 Mar 08
Some air conditioning can feel like being in a fridge. Better air conditioning can feel like a cold wind. I like to feel warm and if necessary put a fan out to get cool. In Cairns the street had heat and shops felt like ice. It was nicer to feel the air circulating around a fan. In St Lucia the air conditioning was paid for by coins and when it came on it sounded like a loud engine. It made me laugh so much and the weather at night was hot and humid. I love to travel and I like hot places especially tropical islands.
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Oh yes, sometimes I literally shiver in the aircon room and I really hate that. My brain freezes and I can't think straight at all.
• United States
5 Mar 08
If it is not muggy I can deal with just a fan, but if the air is muggy I like light air conditioning. I don't need to have it like a refrigerator just comfortable is good. For sleeping I prefer a fan since I have a tendency to kick the covers off. My system does not like air conditioning so I try to not use it if I can. I do have to use the air conditioning when I drive, but it is mostly for the comfort of my clients, I turn it off as soon as the clients are all dropped off.
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
As in if the air outside is not clean? Then I would close all my windows and switch on the aircon instead. No choice. I really deal with the aircon than dirty air.
1 person likes this
@pinay81 (1535)
• Philippines
5 Mar 08
since im here in saudi and its summer comes the heat here is almost goes up to 47deg we use big aircon from the kitchen to every room but in my country (philippines) we only use fan because 1.)its more cheaper, 2.) less electricity bill, and 3.) we dont have aircon:-)
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
Wow! Aircon in the kitchen too!
@sophialin (2677)
• China
6 Mar 08
i'm such a strange person who prefers fan to aircon completely. to speak frankly,i never use aircon in hot summer as i feel uncomfortable and a little cold in such environment. i recall my classmates usually went to school library in hot days for rather enjoying aircon not reading books. i was on the other hand preferring to another library which is older only with fans for cooling.
2 people like this
• Singapore
6 Mar 08
We are both strange then.:P
@wickedangel (1636)
• Dominican Republic
12 Mar 08
Fan, fan and fan.... Where is that magical fan.. Hate air con, leaves your mouth dry, sore throat and if unlucky (when at work) - I always end up with a cold. So at home it is fan, fan and more fan. But generally I sit with the windows open (hail all incoming mosquitos!)
2 people like this
• Singapore
15 Mar 08
Oh yea, suck up all the moisture, doesn't it?
1 person likes this