Ceiling Fan Tips & Tricks to Save Energy

October 10, 2017

Everyone knows ceiling fans help keep you cool in the summer, but it’s less known that they can help you stay warm when winter winds blow. Also, changing the rotation of your ceiling fan may enable you to adjust the thermostat saving you money on energy bills. See below for info on changing the direction of your fan:

Three Good Reasons to Use Your Ceiling Fan in the Summer

Helps minimize the use of central or window A/C units. You’ll save up to 40% on your electricity bill.
The cooling breeze (downdraft) you’ll feel makes the room feel up to 8 degrees cooler.
If you have a porch ceiling fan, then you’ll enjoy more time outdoors in comfort.

Three Good Reasons to Use Your Ceiling Fan in Winter

Helps minimize indoor heating bills, saving up to 15%.
The warm air movement (updraft) makes the room feel more comfortable.
Reduces the use of potential electrical hazards such as space heaters or heated blankets.

In the summer, set your fan to rotate counterclockwise which pushes cool air downward, reducing the sensation of hot or cold spots in the room. Moving air against the skin creates a cooling effect which makes you feel cooler without adjusting the thermostat. You can set your thermostat a little higher and still remain comfortable.

How to tell if your ceiling fan is set to summer mode:

Turn on the fan and stand directly under it. Look up and see which direction the fan blades are rotating. If the blades are rotating clockwise, like the hands on a clock, change the fan’s setting to rotate counterclockwise. When you have the correct setting you’ll feel the air movement. Likewise, in setting the fan to winter mode check to see if the ceiling fan blades are rotating counterclockwise. If so, change the fan’s setting to move the blades clockwise.

In winter, set your fan on low will pull cool air up from the floor. The gentle updraft forces warm air, which naturally rises to the ceiling, down along the walls, and over the floor. The air is picked up by the fan again, which balances the room’s temperature. This makes the room feel warmer which allows you to lower the thermostat, saving energy. Using your ceiling fan during colder months can save you as much as 15% on heating bills.

Note one exception to the above rules: if your ceiling fan is mounted to a high vaulted or cathedral ceiling, the fan is too far up to create a detectable wind chill. If so, leave the fan set on counterclockwise rotation, year-round.

Adjusting ceiling fan direction/rotation-

If your ceiling fan is relatively new, then it may have a remote control or a wall control that allows you to adjust the rotation. This makes changing the blade direction as easy as pushing a button.

Press the “forward” button to set your fan to spin counterclockwise for summer. Press the “reverse” button to the fan to spin clockwise when it’s cold outside.

If your ceiling fan doesn’t include a remote or wall setting, look for a horizontal (left-right) toggle switch or a vertical (up-down) switch on the side of the fan’s motor housing. The switch is usually below the blades. Flip this switch to change the fan blade’s rotation.

For vertical switches, flip the switch down for summer (downward airflow) and up for winter (upward airflow). For horizontal switches, flip the switch left for summer (downward airflow) and right for winter (upward airflow).

After that is set, adjust your thermostat to save money on your cooling and heating bills.

Optimum Ceiling Fan Speed

Set the speed higher (faster) in summer and lower (slower) in winter. In the warmer months, you’ll want to feel the air moving so a medium to high speed is best. In fall and winter, a breeze can feel uncomfortable so set the speed to medium or low. The medium to the low setting will gently circulate the heated air about the room.