Few could afford the fan at first. Like the air-conditioning that was to follow, most ceiling fans were in public buildings until mass production brought them home. But by 1950, ceiling fans were passe, replaced by portable fans, moved from room to room as we did. It wasn't until the late 1970s that the ceiling fan was back in fashion. Modern ceiling fans are often used in concert with air-conditioning, bringing cooler air into areas of a room or house far from the source.
Fans use less electricity than either central air-conditioning or window units.
The savings are substantial. In warmer weather, fans make a person feel about seven degrees cooler than the air temperature.