If you have a ceiling fan in your home, chances are it can be helpful in both summer and winter. In fact, ceiling fans can help you save money on heating costs and improve the energy efficiency of your home.
In the summer, your ceiling fan should spin counterclockwise to make you feel cooler by creating a wind chill effect. This is because the breeze from a fan blows perspiration off your skin, causing it to evaporate. This cooling makes you feel several degrees cooler than the actual room temperature.
When the seasons change, you’ll want to turn your fan direction opposite from the summer setting – in the winter, it should be spinning clockwise at a lower speed. This will help redistribute warm air that collects near the ceiling and reduces the amount of heat your furnace has to pump into the room, saving you up to 15 percent on your heating bills.
Choosing the correct fan direction is not only about saving on heating costs, it also helps you enjoy a more comfortable home. For example, if you live with a smoker or have a large family, a clockwise rotation can create an updraft to pull smoky air away from you.
To know which way to rotate your fan, simply stand underneath it and watch the blades move. You’ll see the blades moving like a clock’s hand – top right, then down and back up to the left.