How to Use an Electric Fan
Electric Fans are generally described as an electronic device that creates a flow of wind in a certain specific direction. It is often used during days where the sun shines too bright in the sky and causes the temperature to rise to an uncomfortable height. However, in recent years, electric fans are used almost every day-- even when the sky is a nice shade of blue and the wind is just cool enough that you don’t sweat while standing under the sun.
Another thing that I have noticed is that electric fans can also be found in almost all homes now, probably except air-conditioned houses. (Chances are such a household wouldn’t use an electric fan, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was one stored somewhere in the house, waiting to be used.) Due to this, I can say that most people would know how to use an electric fan. However, this does not mean that one knows how to fully utilize it. It’s not as easy as plugging the fan in and pressing a number. An analogy of its difficulty could be likened to that of watching television. You turn the television on with the idea of wanting to watch TV, but not really knowing what to watch until you browse through different channels or actually have a particular show you always wait for at that same time every day. The same goes with an electric fan – you plug it in and turn it on with the idea of wanting a cool wind to combat the warm temperature, but not really knowing which number you should press.
Generally, there are four buttons ranging from Zero to Three. If you’re lucky, the fan might have a fifth button which is the number Four. Each button makes the motor rotate at different speeds; therefore, the motor will create different wind strengths. This allows an individual to combat different temperatures, each yielding a different type of relief. To be able to utilize the fan and its ability to reprieve you from discomfort during hot seasons, here are the steps that you should follow:
First, plug the electric fan’s socket into any electrical outlet.
Second, face the fan in the general direction you want the wind to go to. You could also have the head of the fan swing from left to right or have it stay still by pulling or pushing a button on the fan that allows either movement.
Third, choose your desired number. You have four (or five) options:
1. Button One is for those times when the weather is warm enough that you need to turn on the fan, but cool or windy enough that if you go any higher than the first button, you’d start shivering from the cold. This button is for the houses or rooms surrounded by windows yet covered by trees, allowing the cool wind to enter the house despite the bright glow of the sun. It’s also for the times where an individual can comfortably wrap oneself up in a blanket and feel sleep slowly wash over you like a gentle wave, as if you can’t prevent yourself from drowsing off. Pressing button number One lets me picture myself snug in bed while reading a book, possibly with a mug of warm coffee, slowly lulling myself to sleep.
2. Button Two, I imagine, is for late afternoons when the sun shines too bright in the sky that taking a nap without breaking a sweat is impossible. During these temperatures, if one presses button One, an individual would still be bothered by the heat. This button could be for the rooms that allows the sun’s glare to creep in during late mornings towards the afternoons. You know you’ll need the fan to be at this strength when someone starts to comment about the heat and/or starts fanning themselves, possibly with their hands. Pressing number Two is like imaging myself falling asleep at night, tucked under a blanket with one of my legs sticking out of the covers.
3. Button Three is for those days where the sun seems to be angry and is letting everybody know it-- to the point that even if you stand under the shade of a tree, you can’t escape the scalding heat of the sun. This button is for those days when you find yourself sweating, feeling like you’ve just run a marathon, yet you’re just sitting on your living room sofa. Even drinking cold water and taking a bath can only give you so much reprieve. Sometimes, button Three isn't even enough, so you end up wishing that you had a fourth button (Button Four) or an air conditioner. In addition, this are also those day when you know people are extra agitated due to the heat. In the end, when I think of button number Three (or Four), I see myself lying down on the living room sofa without a blanket, with the fan directly facing me, with a determination to not let anybody take it away, and at the same time, have too little energy to get up and get myself a glass of cold water.
0. Button Zero, on the other hand, is for those times when the weather is cold enough that you don’t even need to have a fan on. It feels like your house has an invisible air conditioner that has no remote control, so you rummage through your cabinet to find a jacket, a sweater, any long-sleeved shirt, jogging pants, or a thick blanket to protect you from the cold. It’s those days where you just want to stay in bed, nestled under thick blankets, or maybe have a nice cup of warm coffee. It’s also one of those days that you feel too cold to drink water taken from the refrigerator, so your lips feel chapped and dry. Button Zero is when I do not feel like taking a bath for the reasons that I didn’t even sweat all day and that if I do take a bath, I’ll end up with my body shivering from the cold the moment I step out of the shower.
After choosing your desired number, you may proceed to the Fourth step:
Fourth, sit somewhere in the general direction of the wind.
Fifth, which is the last step, is to either relax or continue what you were doing prior to turning the electric fan on.
By fulfilling these steps and choosing the appropriate number, one will be able to fully utilize the capacity of an electric fan to relieve you from the heat of the sun (or the cold, if you chose to turn your fan off).