July has been a warm one in the Twin Ports.  For a geographic region that comfortably sees sub-zero temperatures in the winter, we also see the digits near or at the triple-digit amount on the thermometer in the middle of summer.  But, those uncomfortably-warm days are less common.

The lesser likelihood of seeing hot and humid conditions for long stretches of time probably explains why you see less air conditioning in the Northland.  While we couldn't survive without a heating source in our Northland homes, many lack central cooling.  (The opposite can be found in warmer climates in the United States; find me a home in Arizona and Texas without AC)

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While air conditioning may not be heavily-prevalent in the Northland, we do use appliances to cool our homes.  Usually that choice is a fan - table-model, box fan, or ceiling fan.  And while the fan usually suffices for the cooling effect, they do need maintenance to keep them operating like they should.

A co-worker of mine recently lamented the fact that his floor-model pedestal fan wasn't generating a cooling effect like it used to - even though he had operating on the highest level possible.  I asked him if he had cleaned it recently.  Apparently, not - and he seemed genuinely intrigued when I told him that a clean fan produces a better cooling effect.  The reason is science:  Dust created drag and if there is a build up of dust on your fan blades, they don't create the "cut" needed to generate a cool breeze.  (i.e. you can run that dirty, dusty fan on high speed all you want but it won't have half the cooling effect that a clean fan has).

So what do you need to know in order to clean your fan?  Here are some tips:

Tips For Cleaning Your Household Fans

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