A critical review of the effectiveness of electric fans as a personal cooling intervention in hot weather and heatwaves

Abstract

Health agencies worldwide have historically cautioned that electric fans accelerate body-heat gain during hot weather and heatwaves (typically in air temperatures ≥35°C). However, guidance published since 2021 has suggested that fans can still cool the body in air temperatures up to 40°C by facilitating sweat evaporation, and therefore are an inexpensive yet sustainable alternative to air conditioning. In a critical analysis of the reports cited to support this claim, we found that although fan use improves sweat evaporation, these benefits are of insufficient magnitude to exert meaningful reductions in body core temperature in air temperatures exceeding 35°C. Health agencies should continue to advise against fan use in air temperatures higher than 35°C, especially for people with compromised sweating capacity (eg, adults aged 65 years or older). Improving access to ambient cooling strategies (eg, air conditioning or evaporative coolers) and minimising their economic and environmental costs through policy initiatives, efficient cooling technology, and combined use of low-cost personal interventions (eg, skin wetting or fan use) are crucial for climate adaptation.