How having a fan can save you money if you have air con

With much of the UK baking in the third heatwave of the year, some of us are dreaming about installing air conditioning.

Only 4 per cent of UK homes currently have some form of air conditioning, but this is forecast to rise steeply as summers get warmer and heatwaves become more common.

Despite the switch, simple mechanical fans will still play a vital role in keeping homes cool – and should not be overlooked, say researchers.

Shorts

Fans do not physically lower a room’s air temperature, unlike air conditioning, but they can make it feel cooler by about 4°C.