Which Way Should a Ceiling Fan Turn In Each Season?

Ceiling fans are a great way to keep a home cooler during the hottest months of the year. Most homeowners consider them a must-have appliance to combat the summer heat, but what about during the winter? Your fan can save you money on your energy bills in the summer, but it is also a secret weapon to reduce energy bills in the winter months. Flipping a switch is all you need to do to change the direction of your ceiling fan and your energy bills.

Understanding Ceiling Fan Rotation

Almost all modern ceiling fans have motors that can move the blades in two directions. Changing the ceiling fan direction for the season will affect airflow in your home, keeping the temperature more uniform.

When the ceiling fan spins counterclockwise, it draws warm air up and sends cool air down. When your fan spins counterclockwise, it creates the “wind chill effect.” This increases the evaporation of moisture from your skin, making you feel cooler. The downdraft is designed to provide a cool breeze when you need it most.

When your fan spins clockwise, it creates an updraft that pulls the air in the room toward the ceiling. Because heat rises above the cooler air, warmer air naturally accumulates near the ceiling. It gets pushed back down into the room, providing uniform temperatures and an overall warm and cozy feel. Keeping the fan on low will also avoid any chilly breezes.

Which Way Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn in the Summer?

During the summer, you should run your ceiling fan counterclockwise. This is the proper ceiling fan direction because when the air moves downward, it not only creates a cool, refreshing breeze but also encourages the “wind chill effect,” which keeps you cooler overall.

In the summer, a ceiling fan can help keep your house four degrees cooler working with the air conditioning, so your HVAC doesn’t have to work as hard!

Which Way Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn in the Winter?

Changing the direction of the ceiling fan in the winter is just as effective in keeping you cozy and helping you make the most of your furnace and home energy efficiency. Clockwise ceiling fan movement naturally warms the room, enabling you to drop down the thermostat temperature without getting too cold. So when you feel the first chill of fall, it’s time to switch all your ceiling fans to clockwise rotation.

In the same way that your ceiling fan helps the air conditioning run less during the warmer months, the clockwise-spinning ceiling fan should allow your furnace to kick on less frequently, which can result in significant savings on your heating bill during the coldest months of the year.

How to Change Your Ceiling Fan’s Direction

Changing the direction of your ceiling fan's rotation is simple. Get something stable to step on, and get ready to flip the switch!

Turn the fan off. (This is a great opportunity to clean the fan blades, which should be done seasonally.)
When the blades have fully stopped, look at the fan’s motor housing, find the small toggle switch, and flip it to the opposite position.
Turn the fan back on—it should spin clockwise now.

Your fan may also have an extra pull chain that controls the motor’s direction. In most cases, pulling this chain once will change the direction of the fan blades. If your fan has a remote control, you might want to check if there is a button that switches the ceiling fan's rotation. Changing the ceiling fan’s direction by season is that simple!

Extra Tips for Year-Round Ceiling Fan Efficiency

In addition to changing the direction of a ceiling fan by season, there are other ways to increase its efficiency. Cleaning the fan blades regularly will keep the fan balanced and keep excess dust out of the motor, ensuring the fan doesn't work too hard and lasts longer.

You can also increase efficiency by using the right fan settings. You want to keep the fan on low in the winter and higher in the summer. In the winter, you only want to gently pull the air from the ceiling down into the room, but in the summer, you need the breeze to encourage the evaporative cooling that increases comfort.

The final consideration is the size of your fan. Fans are rated from rooms of a certain size. If you have a fan that is oversized or undersized for the space it is in, the fan will not be as efficient. An oversized fan creates too much wind, and an undersized fan won’t properly cool. These are both factors that lead to inefficient temperature regulation, and you won’t get the same efficient function, so changing the ceiling fan’s seasonal direction wouldn’t have much effect.

Enhance Home Comfort With Proper Ceiling Fan Usage

Whether you need help figuring out how to change ceiling fan direction or would like to discuss other tips for cutting energy costs this winter, the local experts at Aire Serv^® are here for you. We guide local homeowners just like you to find ways to save on winter utility bills without sacrificing comfort. Schedule an appointment online or call today.