Cheryl Gaiser

5345 Arapahoe Ave #4

Boulder, CO 80303-8150

June 14, 2013

The Honorable Mark Udall

United States Senate

730 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510-0605

Dear Senator Udall:

Please contact Brenda Edwards at the U.S. Department of Energy, to request 

that they take no action that will negatively impact the sales of ceiling 

fans and ceiling fans with light kits. The DOE is currently engaged in an 

evaluation of ceiling fan energy efficiency that was called for in the 

Energy Act of 2005. (See Ms. Edwards' contact information below.)

Please know that today's ceiling fans are already an energy-efficient 

appliance that allows consumers to reduce their thermostats in summer, and 

raise it in winter saving energy and reducing consumers' utility bills. 

Adding new requirements to gain modest energy efficiency improvements will 

reduce ceiling fan sales, thereby reducing efficiency gains.

Ceiling fans are an important part of my business. Nothing impacts my 

sales of ceiling fans more than their cost! No amount of anticipated 

long-term efficiency gains will benefit their use if efficiency 

requirements raise their cost. If sales are reduced, employment at my 

store could suffer.

I understand that the DOE may be measuring potential energy savings by 

mandating expensive DC motors. The current AC motor is a trouble-free 

product customers want. Today's proven AC ceiling fan motors are good for 

20 to 30 years of life. The only possible way the DOE findings could 

result in meaningful energy savings with DC motors is if most ceiling fans 

were operated on high speed the majority of time. A recent study 

undertaken by a respected consumer polling group (*), plus my knowledge of 

our consumers' habits, indicates that ceiling fans are operated on low or 

medium speed the majority of time, and on high speed only for very limited 

periods of time. Additionally, some respected manufacturers report they 

are having excessive consumer complaints and warranty problems, and are 

reducing their offerings or completely discontinuing them.
While a few companies have started to offer a small number of models, they 

are not widely available, which is probably a good thing, because to be 

reliable, the industry will need more time to perfect them.

While I supported many of the actions taken on ceiling fans in the Energy 

Act of 2005, I oppose additional requirements that will raise prices, 

which will lead to diminished ceiling fan sales and the energy savings 

that would be gained by their use.

Again, I respectfully request that you please contact the secretary of the 

DOE and urge they take no action on new requirements that are unnecessary, 

will gain limited efficiency, and will diminish consumers' interest and 

purchases of ceiling fans. I look forward to your response.

Thank you.

DOE contact information (include docket no. in subject line as follows):

Ms. Brenda Edwards

U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Building Technologies Program

1000 Independence Ave., SW

Mailstop EE-2J

Washington, DC 20585

Subject: EERE-2012-BT-STD-0045

Email: CeilingFanLightKits2012STD0045@ee.doe.gov

Phone: 202-586-2945

Fax: 202-586-4617

(*) Acupoll Survey of Consumer Ceiling Fan Usage and Operation, 31 May 2013

Respectfully,

Cheryl Gaiser

303-449-9899