While most people use their ceiling fans to cool down in the summer, they can also be used to help heat a room. This trick is simple and effective, and can save you money on heating bills all winter long. This is one of the easiest ways to cut your energy costs without cranking up the thermostat.
The way a ceiling fan works in the summer is by circulating air over your skin to aid evaporative cooling, which is essentially the way sweating works. That’s because when the blades of a ceiling fan are spinning counterclockwise, they create an updraft that moves cooler air down toward the floor, causing you to feel a cooling breeze. In the winter, you can still enjoy the same benefits by switching your ceiling fan to a clockwise setting.
When you set your ceiling fan to a clockwise rotation, the angled blades will push warm air up into the ceiling. This air is then redistributed throughout your home, which allows you to keep the thermostat a little higher without losing comfort. In fact, studies show that by rotating your ceiling fan in the proper direction in the winter, you can save up to 15% on your heating costs.
If you aren’t sure if your ceiling fan is set to the correct rotation, check it by standing directly under the blades. The fan should be spinning in a clockwise direction at a low speed to distribute warm air throughout your home.