No AC? Here's which direction fans should face to keep your home cool in Texas heat

Despite an early start, this summer's Texas heat is likely to persist through the end of October. And if you have an older home, or just don't want to break the bank, air conditioning may not be an option. Enter box and window fans.

These fans may seem simple to use, but are you certain yours are facing the right way for maximum coolness? Experts say it can depend on your home.

Should my window, box fan face in or out?

Window fans don't just create air flow. They push hot air out and suck cool air in. Because of this dual function, the fan's most effective orientation will depend on which side of the house it is placed on.

Outward-facing window fans should go on the hottest side of your house to blow hot air out, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Alternatively, inward-facing window fans work best on the coolest side of a home. Windows near shady, cooler outdoor areas are typically the best source of cool air.

Should my window, box fan be upstairs or downstairs?

Heat naturally rises, which means the second story of a home is usually hotter than the ground floor. If you only have one window fan, it's best to install it upstairs and open windows downstairs.

If you have multiple box fans, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends putting them in each upstairs bedroom to pull air throughout the home.

How much electricity do box fans use?

Box and window fans are generally much less expensive than central air conditioning, because they require a lot less electricity. But exactly how much electricity a box fan consumes depends on its size and type.

The average 20-inch box fan consumes about 75 watts per hour at full speed, according to electric power distributor and telecommunication company EPB. That's about 50% more than your standard ceiling fan, but far less power than an air conditioner, which can use between 500 and 5,000 watts of electricity.

You might be wondering, then, how much that box fan will cost you in electricity every month. Fortunately, there's a simple formula.

How to figure out how much your appliances cost

To find out how much any appliance in your home will cost per hour, use this formula courtesy of Homes and Gardens.

Multiply the appliance's wattage by the number of hours you want to use it. Divide by 1,000 and then multiply again by the cost per kilowatt-hour on your electric bill. The formula looks like this:

Cost = (power (in watts) x time (in hours)) / 1,000 x cost of one kilowatt-hour

A 50-watt fan running 24 hours a day can cost as little as a few dollars each month, depending on residential electricity costs in your area.

How else can you keep your home cool?

To help stay cool, reduce energy usage and maximize energy efficiency during hot weather, DTE Energy offers these tips:

• Cook meals with a microwave, crockpot or outdoor grill instead of in the oven, which adds extra heat into your home, especially in the afternoon when outdoor temperatures hit their peak. If you do have to cook in the kitchen, turn on your exhaust fan to move the hot air outside.
• Close the blinds and curtains on sun-facing windows to block the sun's rays and avoid unwanted heat.
• Postpone doing laundry, washing dishes or running the dishwasher until the evening when outdoor temperatures have cooled a bit.
• Let your dishes air dry in the dishwasher instead of using the heated drying feature, which can leak heat into your kitchen, raising indoor temperatures and humidity levels.
• Take quicker showers at a cooler temperature than normal. Steaming hot showers fill up your bathroom with hot humid air that can cause your AC to work harder to cool the room down.