Now that it’s deep summer, heat waves are repeatedly hitting across the country. If you have air conditioning, it makes sense to put it on full blast. But if AC isn’t an option or if yours has decided to go on the fritz, it’s fair to think flipping on a fan will help keep you cool. Unfortunately, that fan hack only works to a certain extent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an arsenal of health care providers warn against using a fan when indoor temperatures get above 90 degrees.
“Although it may seem odd, when it is very hot and dry, fans may actually cause more harm than good,” said Dr. Henry Young, associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Using a fan when temperatures soar above 90 degrees can actually raise your body temperature, working against your efforts to stay cool — and running the risk of serious health complications in the process. “Counter to what we think, fans do not actually lower air temperature: They move warm air away from our skin, which makes us feel cooler,” said Dr. Eric Ascher, a family medicine physician at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital. “If the air temperature is similar to or warmer than your body temperature, you may be increasing your body temperature by using fans.”
