When it comes to keeping your home extra cool in those oppressively hot summer months, taking advantage of a great ceiling fan is key. However, did you know that most ceiling fans can spin in two different directions and that the direction of the spin can actually make a world of difference in the temperature and comfort level of your home?
Take the hot summer months for example, which way should a ceiling fan turn in the summer? When you have invested in quality ceiling fans, being able to make the most of them will mean really understanding how they can work best during any given season. Here are a few things you should know about using these fans to keep you as cool as possible during those hot summers.
Q: Which Direction Should a Ceiling Fan Go in the Summer?
A: Most fans nowadays are designed to have two directional options for homeowners to take advantage of. When you have your fan in winter mode, the fan should be pulling air up from the floor and circling the warm air around your home. However, if you’re trying to keep yourself feeling nice and refreshed every time you step through a door to your home especially during those super hot summer months, you’ll want your ceiling fans spinning counter clockwise. This means that if you’re standing underneath the fan and looking up, you’ll want to see that the blades are moving to the left.
By having your fans spinning in this direction, they will be forced to push the cool air back down to where you’re sitting, creating something of a windchill effect and letting you feel instantly cooler, without actually having to change the temperature of the room. By standing directly under the fan, you’ll actually be able to feel air being pushed down onto you, instantly cooling you off much as a light breeze would do after a long run or a hard day of working outside. If you’re looking for a way to give your home that extra level of comfort, this is definitely a great way to go.
Q: Which Way Should A Ceiling Fan Spin?
A: The spinning direction of a ceiling fan can either be clockwise or counter clockwise. And while the counter clockwise rotation is preferred during the summer, it’s also up to you to settle on a spinning direction that makes you feel cooler and comfortable. You can use the remote to play with the spinning direction of your ceiling fan until you find a suitable and comfortable setting that meets your needs. So this all boils down to a persons preference and what they wish to achieve with a ceiling fan.
How to Change the Ceiling Fan Direction
Now that you realize you can change your ceiling fan direction, you’re probably wondering how it’s done. Luckily, most modern ceiling fans come with remotes which will have a directional option on them that you can easily press to adjust your fans accordingly. Even if you don’t have a remote, making this switch is still pretty easy. First, you’ll want to make sure your fans are turned off and check for a switch at the base of your fan. Flick that switch and turn your fan back on. Make sure you can feel a difference in the movement of the air in the room by standing directly underneath it.
Reduce Air Conditioning Usage
After you’ve changed your ceiling fans to move in a counter-clockwise direction, you’ll start to feel a dramatic change in the perceived temperature of your home almost instantly. This lower sense of temperature will mean you no longer have to have your air conditioning blasting through your home in order to reach the desired level of comfort. Air conditioning, though completely necessary, particularly in areas where the temperatures can reach extremes, can use a tremendous amount of power in order to produce the expected results. However, by taking advantage of your ceiling fans, you can end up cutting down your energy consumption dramatically.
Lower Energy Bills
At the end of the day, summer can mean extreme electric bills that no homeowner looks forward to. However, changing the direction of your ceiling fans can actually have a pretty tremendous effect. Not only do ceiling fans run at a much lower rate of energy consumption, but because they help to lower how much you need to use your air conditioning, you’ll find yourself receiving lower and lower bills at the end of every month. Keeping yourself and your loved ones safe and comfortable shouldn’t need to be a serious economic burden. Take advantage of the fans you already have in your home and too often forget about so that you can feel better physically and financially.
Think About Size
When it comes to getting the most out of a ceiling fan, you’ll really need to take the room size into consideration. If the blades on your fan are too small, you might feel a difference when you’re standing directly underneath, however, the effect will be nowhere near as efficient in cooling off the entire home. You’ll end up using just as much energy or more trying to cool off your house, ending with you relying just as much on your air conditioning and not taking full advantage of this great opportunity. When it comes to ceiling fans, blade size matters.
Fewer Blades, Better Air Flow
Generally speaking, if you’re looking to get the most out of your ceiling fans, you’ll want to make sure you pick a model that has the least number of blades. If you can find a design you like that has three or four blades instead of the standard five-blade models normally installed in homes, you’ll end up with significantly better airflow, helping to keep you much cooler in even the warmest months.
Keeping your home cool in those difficult summer months isn’t just a question of comfort, but also of health. Many people can’t safely manage to be in such oppressive temperatures, and the last thing you want to do is expose your loved ones to dangerous situations. However, keeping your air conditioner running on high constantly can end up being a serious financial burden that many people just can’t keep up with. By taking advantage of your home’s ceiling fans and making sure they’re spinning in the right direction, you can end up giving yourself the cool and refreshing environment you’ve been looking for without having to worry about over-the-top electric bills at the end of every month. Keep these tips in mind and let yourself feel comfortable day in and day out, even on the warmest of days.
