Why You Should Change Your Ceiling Fan Direction This Winter
Thank goodness for ceiling fans. Sure, they may not be the most aesthetically pleasing addition to your space, but who cares when they actually help make your home comfortable? During the summer, when your home feels as balmy indoors as the weather outside, a ceiling fan can help you out with the flick of a switch (especially when paired with an air conditioning unit).
But did you know that ceiling fans can do more than circulate cooler temperatures? When winter sets in and keeping warm is a must, you can actually use your ceiling fan to help achieve a cozy atmosphere. Here’s what you need to know about winter fan rotation so that your ceiling fan becomes a year-round source of comfort (and saves some money in the process).
The direction your ceiling fan blades spin can significantly affect your home’s temperature, so changing the direction every winter and summer is crucial. It’ll not only make you more comfortable, but also extend the life of your system. In the winter, have your ceiling fans run clockwise. In the summer, have them run counterclockwise.
Why the Direction Your Ceiling Fan Spins Matters
According to Jeff Palla, president of Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company, the direction your fan blades spin can significantly affect your home’s air temperature. “During the summer months you want to run your ceiling fan counterclockwise, as it pushes down the air and creates a cool breeze while providing a consistent room temperature,” he says, explaining that it helps reduce the demand for air conditioning.
“During the winter months you want to have your ceiling fans running clockwise at a low speed,” Palla continues. “This will help redistribute warm air throughout the room.” For those of us facing mounting electric bills or sky-high oil costs, that redistribution of warm air could really make a difference — even reducing the amount of time you need your heat to run each day.
That being said, you shouldn’t keep your fan on when there’s nobody around to enjoy these benefits. “Ceiling fans are designed to remain on at all times, but we recommended they should only be left on when there are people or pets in the room to enjoy the benefit of feeling cooler or warmer,” Palla says.
What direction should your fan spin in summer versus winter?
In summer, your fan should spin clockwise to circulate warmer air.
In winter, your fan should spin counter-clockwise to circulate cooler air.
Nick Gromicko, founder of InterNACHI, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, says that you should start this process by standing under your ceiling fan with the power on. “Looking upwards at the fan from below, the blades should turn clockwise to create an updraft and circulate warm air,” Gromicko says. The opposite will be true for the summer.
Keep the power on at a low speed when the room is in use, and turn off the fan whenever it’s empty. This may even help lower your heating bill (and AC bill) since the ceiling fan is contributing to a preferred temperature more quickly, and with less power.
How to Change Your Ceiling Fan Direction
Typically, Palla says you can change the fan’s direction by flipping a switch on the ceiling fan itself. He says this is usually a small switch and that the location varies depending on what model fan you have, but that it’s usually found near the fan’s pull string or cord. “Some newer fans have a button to reverse directions on a remote control,” he says.
Of course, before you attempt doing anything with your fan you should always turn the switch off first, ensuring that the blades have completely stopped spinning before you attempt to make a change. Not only can this prevent you from getting injured by an errant blade (or worse), but it can also help keep your fan in good working order. A fan that gets knocked around could become wobbly and start to spin off balance, becoming a hazard all of its own.
You Should Use This Time for Maintenance
Let’s be real — despite Palla’s suggestion otherwise, most of us keep our fans running all year long to help keep air circulating in our homes and to prevent rooms from feeling musty or stale. Because of this a lot of dust, debris, and pet hair build up on those blades. It’s usually not too noticeable while the fans are on, but as soon as you turn them off you’re bound to see the buildup. “So use it as an excuse to clean the fan blades,” Palla says.
How to Clean Your Ceiling Fan
A favorite trick for the semi-annual chore of cleaning your ceiling fan is the pillowcase method. Once the fan blades have stopped spinning, get up on a step ladder and position myself toward the end of one of the blades. Then, put the blade inside the pillowcase, gently grabbing either side of the blade closest to the center of the fan. Slowly pull the pillowcase off while still holding the sides of the blade, trapping all of the dust and debris you knock off in the case (and keeping it off furniture and floors). Do this for each blade, slowly spinning the fan to reach them all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, find answers to the most common questions about changing the direction of your ceiling fan seasonally.
How does reversing a fan save energy in winter?
Heat rises, which means that a clockwise-turning ceiling fan will pull heat up toward the ceiling and then circulate it throughout the room. “If the fan was blowing downward in the winter, you would feel colder because the fan would create a wind-chill effect as the air blows on you,” Gromicko says.
By maximizing how much heat is felt throughout the room — and by doing so quickly and evenly — a clockwise-turning ceiling fan will put less strain on a heater to warm an entire space.
Can a ceiling fan really make a room feel warmer?
It may sound suspicious, but it’s true: A ceiling fan can actually make a room feel warmer when set on a clockwise rotation since it pushes warm air downward. “They do this best when the fan is on low mode,” Gromicko says.
Do all ceiling fans have a direction switch?
Gromicko says that all new fans have a direction switch, and most can be changed by remote. If it’s not possible from a remote, then make sure your ceiling fan is off before looking for the switch — it’s usually beside the pull string or cord on older fans. (Note: you can also search for the model online to find the instructions if they’re not on hand.)
How can I tell if my fan is spinning the right way for winter?
If you’re still unsure about whether or not your fan is spinning in the optimum direction, Gromicko shares this advice: “Stand under your fan and turn on fast mode,” he says. “Try it in both directions to determine which way the air is blowing.”
Air that’s blowing downward means your fan is turning counter-clockwise; air that’s blowing upward means your fan is turning clockwise.
Further Reading
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