Which Direction Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn?
There is no denying the fact that ceiling fans are a necessity for summer. However, are you aware of the fact that they can be equally useful in the fall and winter too? If you want to get the most out of your ceiling fan and give your HVAC appliances a much-needed break, it is essential for you to understand which direction your ceiling fan should turn during certain conditions. If you use your ceiling fan properly, it will save you plenty on the heating and cooling bills.
Winter
Of course, most of us generally stop using the ceiling fan altogether when winter arrives. There aren’t many who use the ceiling fan during the blistering cold. However, there is a useful way for you to operate the fan during the winter. During the winter, your fan should ideally operate in reverse (clockwise) direction at a low speed. The blades of the fan should move similarly to a clock’s hand, circulating from the top right to the left and back to the top. What does this do exactly? Well, this process helps draw the air in the room upwards and forces the warm air down and out, making the room a lot warmer.
This, in turn, allows you to lower the thermostat temperature and prevents you from using heating devices. In fact, according to reliable statistics, you can save as much as 15% on heating bills if you use ceiling fans during the winter.
Summer
Most people simply install ceiling fans in their homes for one specific purpose — to help cool them down during the summer. If you are like most people, you will want your fan to perform optimally during the summer. Now, if you want your fan to produce a cooling effect and give you the wind-chill effect that makes you feel cooler, you should ensure that it operates in the forward (counter-clockwise) direction. The blades of the fan should circulate from the top left, move towards the right, and then back to the top. The warmer it is, the higher the speed of the fan should be.
When the fan runs in a counter-clockwise direction, it forces the cool room air down on you. The cool air, in turn, aids in the evaporation of perspiration, giving you a wind chill effect. Hence, you don’t have to change the room temperature to feel cooler. This allows you to set the thermostat at a higher temperature without sacrificing comfort.
You can not only get year-round comfort by changing the direction of your ceiling fan as per required, you will also be able to save plenty on the heating and cooling bills. Ceiling fans are far more energy efficient and have far less power consumption than HVAC units.
