Reverse Your Ceiling Fan This Spring for Comfort and Savings

Did you know there is a quick and easy solution to help keep you comfortable and reduce your energy costs in both warm and cold weather? All you have to do is seasonally reverse your ceiling fan in your home. The basic rule of thumb follows that during the colder months, your ceiling fan should turn clockwise (reverse), and during the warmer months, your ceiling fan should turn counter-clockwise (forward).

Forward in the spring/summer: During the spring and summer months, you want your fan to spin forward in a counter-clockwise direction. This increases airflow by allowing the fan to push air down on you, causing a room to feel cooler than it really is. Known as the wind-chill effect, you can use this motion to your advantage by keeping your thermostat set several degrees higher than your normal comfort levels. The ceiling fans in your home will work with your air conditioner to make your home feel cool and comfortable with less energy used. This will lead to less wear and tear on your air conditioning system, increasing its lifespan, as well as saving you on monthly electricity costs.

Reversing in the fall/winter: During the fall and winter months, you want to reverse your ceiling fan so that it spins in a clockwise direction. You can do this by a switch on the fan’s motor housing that will switch the rotation of the blades. Setting the blades to a clockwise spin creates an upward draw effect. Cooler air essentially is drawn towards your ceiling; this displaces the warmer air that naturally rises, pushing it down to the living areas of your household. Taking advantage of this effect creates a more even heat distribution that will improve your home’s indoor comfort. Additionally, when used with your home furnace, you can also reduce your home’s energy costs by reducing the cycling on and off frequency of home heating equipment.

To learn more about how to reverse your ceiling fan, or other helpful tips and tricks, contact your local experts at Sobiesk Services, serving Wilmington and surrounding Deleware, Pennyslvania, Maryland, and New Jersey areas.

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