How much does a box / tower fan cost to run?

Box or tower fans draw 40–100 watts and use energy proportional to how long they run. Running one overnight in a closed room wastes energy that could be saved by opening windows or using an A/C more selectively.

Typical running cost (18.83¢/kWh, U.S. average, 2026-04)

BasisCost
Per hour (while running, 70 W typical)$0.013
Per day (8 h/day, 7/7 days)$0.11
Per month$3.21
Per year$38.51
Hourly range (small 40 W – large 110 W)$0.008 – $0.021
Save: Rely on outdoor air in cooler seasons and reserve fan use for peak heat hours when it can reduce A/C runtime.

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