Why Using Fans in Extreme Heat May Raise Your Body Temperature

Health experts warn that electric fans can increase body heat during 90-plus degree heatwaves and suggest safer cooling methods.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, running electric fans in heatwaves hotter than 90 °F can actually warm the body, acting like a convection oven that circulates hot air. UCLA professor David Eisenman and associate director V. Kelly Turner say this effect increases the chance of dehydration and heat-related illnesses, especially for vulnerable groups. They point out that the World Health Organization sets a 95 °F limit for fan use, while the CDC adopts a more conservative cutoff to cover all ages and conditions.

To stay cool without air conditioning, they recommend placing ice or frozen water bottles before a fan to create a mist, spraying skin with water regularly, ventilating rooms at night, using cold compresses or cool showers, and drinking ample fluids. Additional options include seeking refuge in public pools, libraries or cooling centers during the forecasted 95-115 °F temperatures across Southern California.