Switching the direction of your ceiling fan blades when the season changes is an easy way to maximize savings on your home heating and cooling bills. There are other important benefits from making this simple and quick periodic change too. Here’s all you need to know about which direction you should set your ceiling fan blades to spin in each season, how to make that change, and why.
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Which Way Should Fan Turn in Summer?
To help keep your home cool in summer and help save on electricity usage, set your ceiling fan to spin counterclockwise (from right to left). Combining the counterclockwise spin with the tilted blade design causes the ceiling fan to create a downdraft, which feels like a cool light breeze in the room.
Why Change the Fan Blade Direction in Summer?
The air movement from the fan accelerates moisture evaporation on your skin, which causes you to feel cooler. That’s known as the “wind chill effect.” A ceiling fan can make a room feel 4 degrees cooler in summer. Setting the correct ceiling fan direction with air conditioning means you can set your thermostat higher and save significantly on electricity bills.
Which Way Should Fan Spin in Winter?
During winter temperatures, keep your ceiling fan set to spin clockwise (left to right). Keep the fan speed set on low to generate the desired air circulation and also to avoid causing a cooling wind that makes the room colder. Running the fan clockwise at low speed creates an updraft that drives the warm air that has risen to the ceiling back outward and flowing down the walls and out into the room. This way of circulating the warm air aloft helps heat the whole room more efficiently.
Why Change the Fan Blade Direction in Winter?
Using ceiling fans to make rooms feel warmer improves comfort and helps your HVAC system heat rooms more evenly for a more comfortable home in winter. This means the system can run less frequently, which saves heating costs. Indoor condensation in winter is common, especially in some older homes. It can lead to mold growth. Running your ceiling fan clockwise in winter helps prevent this moisture from building up along window edges and wall areas around them.
How to Change the Spin Direction of Ceiling Fan Blades
There are various ways to change the direction of the fan blade spin on ceiling fans. The process you need to use depends on the type of fan you have. Here are easy step-by-step instructions for changing the ceiling fan blade spin direction on the most popular models of modern ceiling fans:
For Ceiling Fans with Pull Chains
Fans with pull chain mechanisms feature a reversible switch for changing the blade spin direction.
- Turn off the ceiling fan and wait until the blades stop spinning.
- Find the fan switch on the fan housing or its light fixture housing.
- Slide the switch to set the blades to spin in the opposite direction.
For Ceiling Fans with Remotes
Ceiling fans with remote controls feature a push button that activates the reverse spin option.
- Turn off the fan and wait until the blades stop spinning.
- Press the button on the remote control and hold it down until the light blinks to indicate that you have successfully changed the blade spin direction.
For Smart Home Ceiling Fans
With today’s smart fans, you can change the fan blade spin direction using your smart home devices, which may feature a convenient remote control.
- Turn off the fan and wait until the blades stop spinning.
- Toggle in the manufacturer’s app to the option for switching the ceiling fan blade spin direction. Or, use a voice command on your smart device to reverse the blade spin direction on your ceiling fan.
Remembering to Change Your Ceiling Fan Blade Spin Direction
A good way to remember to make this important seasonal adjustment of your ceiling fan blade spin direction is simply to add the task to your calendar on a date around the usual week or month when warm weather begins and again when cold weather comes to your region. You can always move the date a little if your area has unseasonably cool or warm temperatures.
For Best Seasonal Results From Your Ceiling Fan
To get the maximum benefit from managing the spin direction of your ceiling fan blades, first, assess to be sure you have the correct size ceiling fan for your room dimensions. If your ceiling fan is too small, it is unlikely to move enough air volume in either summer or winter. If it’s too big, it is likely to move air too intensely and cause unwanted cooling in winter. Also, you may be limited to using settings that are too low in summer to avoid extreme windy conditions in the room.
Are You Ready to Have Your New Ceiling Fan Installed?
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Call DK Electrical Solutions Inc., Southampton, NJ at (609) 796-4177, or contact us online to answer your questions or schedule your in-home estimate.
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