Tropical climates inspire images of vacationers sitting on a verandah as ceiling fans rotate overhead, supplementing the cooling effect of ocean breezes.

But you don't have to go to the tropics to realize the benefits--or create the ambiance--of ceiling fans.  They can provide an energy-efficient supplement to air conditioning during thse hot summer months.

The concept is simple:  If you use a ceiling fan, you can raise your thermostat and still get the same cooling effect.

That means lower electric bills in the long run.

Ceiling fans work by creating a wind-chill effect.  As in winter, when the wind makes it feel colder outside, so the wind--or motion-- created by ceiling fans makes you feel cooler in the summer.

"Ciling fans don't cool the room; they cool you." said Maria Vargas, spokeswoman and brand manager for Energy Star, the govenrment program designed to promote energy efficiency.

Raising the thermostat by 2 degees and using a ceiling fan can cut energy costs by about 14 percent over the course of a season, Vargas said.