PSA: You Need to Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fan for Winter
If you think your ceiling fan is only worth turning on in the summer months, think again. There are actually two directions your fan can spin, each one circulating air in an entirely different way.
While many homeowners don't think twice about the way their fan spins, it's definitely worth checking — not only does the direction of the fan help maintain cooler temperatures in the summer and warmer ones in the winter, it can also save you some money in energy costs as a result.
Our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab are here to explain how this simple tip can be implemented at home for a warmer (or cooler) space, depending on the season.
Which way should your fan spin for each season?
If you're hoping to keep your house warm for the winter, you'll want to make sure your fan is spinning clockwise.
"This will push warm air that’s rising to the ceiling back down into the room, making the space more cozy," says Dan DiClerico, director of the home improvement and outdoor lab at the GH Institute. "Come summer, set the blades to spin counterclockwise to cool the room."
How do you switch between settings?
If your ceiling fan is remote control-operated, there should be a button that allows you to change the direction of the fan. Oftentimes, it looks like a reverse symbol, or a circle with revolving arrows.
Conventional ceiling fans typically have a physical switch that's located in the middle of the fan near the pull string and lightbulb. Flip it either up or down to change the direction of the fan's blades.
Tip: If you have a conventional ceiling fan, make sure to turn the fan completely off before hitting the switch.
How can your fan help you save money?
While you'll still need to turn on your heat or air conditioning depending on the season, your ceiling fan can help lessen energy costs by functioning as a helpful heating or cooling tool.
In the colder months, your ceiling fan (when spinning in the clockwise direction) will push rising warm air back down so you won't need to run the heat as much. When you switch the fan's direction in the warmer months, it'll circulate air, cooling you down and in turn reducing your desire to crank up the AC.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, adjusting your thermostat by around seven degrees during the day could trim your heating and cooling costs by as much as 10 percent throughout the year. That works out to a couple hundred dollars worth of savings for the average homeowner.
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