Why You Should Keep Your Ceiling Fan On (Even When It’s Cold Out)

Turning your ceiling fan on during the fall and winter may seem counterintuitive, but when turned to the right settings, a ceiling fan can actually help warm your space and may save you some money on heating costs.

Don’t believe us?

We’ll explain in more detail below.

During the summer, you normally turn your ceiling fan on to help circulate cool air around your home. But here’s the deal: fans don’t actually cool your home, they cool you. They do this by pushing air down, creating a cooling effect called wind chill. 

But, in the winter, ceiling fans can work the opposite way by pushing warm air that has risen to the ceiling outward, which causes that warm air to circulate around the room, making you feel warmer. 

So, what’s the difference between a ceiling fan in cooling mode and a ceiling fan that will circulate warm air? The direction the blades are spinning.

Ceiling fans typically have two settings: clockwise and counterclockwise. When spinning counterclockwise, fan blades push air down, creating a cooling effect. When spinning clockwise, the blades push air outward, and if this air is heated, it can help warm up your space.

To set your ceiling fan to help warm your space, make sure the toggle-switch on your fan is set to “reverse”(you’ll find this switch on the motor, right below the blades) and that your fan is running at a low speed. If you have your ceiling fan on a higher setting, it will still create a bit of a draft, which could make you cooler rather than warmer. 

Because a ceiling fan can help make your space feel warmer, you can turn your thermostat down a few degrees, which could save you money throughout the duration of the heating season. 

We’re willing to bet that you’d like to save as much money as possible throughout the heating season. One of our skilled techs would be happy to assess your home and heating system and provide you with recommendations on how to save money on your heating bills.