Did you know that reversing your ceiling fan during the winter can save energy and money? (Good news for both the planet and your wallet, too!) This might sound counterintuitive, as we often associate fans with the warmer weather, but this little trick is easy to implement and well worth it.
During the summer, have your ceiling fan rotating in the counterclockwise direction, where you’ll be able to feel a cool breeze standing directly underneath it. The blades of a ceiling fan are angled slightly, which makes the air move down, creating a windchill.
Once those winter temperatures start creeping in, reverse the direction of your fan! This produces a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the occupied space. Most ceiling fans have a small switch that allows you to change the direction the blades spin, and can be found simply by hopping up on a ladder or step stool. Remember to adjust your thermostat when using your ceiling fan, so you can save as much energy (and money) as possible!
Fun fact: Since your thermostat is located closer to the ground for easy monitoring, it is only detecting the temperature near it. So helping to draw that warm air down near it will allow you to set it at a lower temperature while still staying nice and toasty!
Sources:
https://www.energystar.gov/products/lighting_fans/ceiling_fans/installation_usage_tips
https://www.2-10.com/blog/does-reversing-your-ceiling-fan-help-during-winter/