A typical January scenario: School holidays; a stinker of a hot day; the kids are all at home in their rooms on Facebook.

What happens next? The air-conditioner gets cranked up to a crazy level to keep everyone cool.

This isn’t the solution to the problem. It’s only a quick fix as the next power bill will reveal the shocking truth.

So what is the solution? It’s a no-brainer that’s so inexpensive most householders wonder why they didn’t consider it earlier.

Experts from the CSIRO, consumer group Choice and various government agencies have long advocated the use of professionally installed ceiling fans.

Combined with air-conditioning they can significantly reduce power bills. Consider this: Operating a ceiling fan with an existing air-conditioning system can reduce your cooling energy use by up to 40 per cent. Add that to the fact that heating and cooling costs make up as much as 35 per cent of a typical power bill and the savings are obvious.

Ceiling fans have been around since the 1880s but few people know exactly how they work. In simple terms the fan isn’t cooling the room as much as it is cooling you.

The downdraft of air is actually evaporating skin perspiration and pushing away the body heat you are expelling.

There is minimal cost in running a fan but because it is cooling your skin turn it off when you leave the room to maximise power-bill savings.

A mind-boggling choice of fans is on the market. But most people don’t have time to do the rounds to choose one and then find an electrician to install it.

Sharpe Electrical is the one-stop solution. With experience in all aspects of home cooling, they have an installed price and the right fan to suit any situation.

Want some more good news about ceiling fans? If you buy the right one their blade action can be changed so they compliment your winter heating system by moving hot air around where it is most needed.

Ceiling fans can push cooling air along a passageway, spread it across an open-plan living area, or circulate it through a stuffy bedroom. Another option is to get one installed that includes a light kit.

Patios can benefit from ceiling fans with the added advantage that air movement helps deter annoying insects.

Ceiling fans are just part of the Sharpe Electrical solution, which also includes cost-efficient air-conditioner replacements and other cooling options using leading-edge technology.