Ceiling fans are extremely practical all-year-round devices. In the summer they cool, and in the winter they support the heating of the room. Which way should the ceiling fan turn?
How does the fan work?
The fan itself, of course, does not cool or heat. It is due to the mixing of air masses that we can feel a lower or higher temperature, respectively. It all depends on the position of the blades. It may sound surprising, but thanks to ceiling fans we can save. Such a fan cools well enough in summer conditions that you can make less use of air conditioning or other fans that consume larger amounts of power. In turn, in winter, mixing air allows you to use less energy needed for space heating. It is assumed that if the fan is placed near the air conditioner and mixes cool and warmer air, the air conditioning saves about 40%. In winter, you can save from 10 to even 35% on heating costs. And if there is a fireplace and a fan in the living room, it’s even more (the fan distributes heat from the fireplace around the room, which makes it warm faster and the optimal temperature lasts longer).
Which way is the fan turning?
The direction of rotation is crucial here, because a properly used fan can noticeably cool the air by up to 8 ° C, while in winter it can increase the feeling of warmth.
It is very important to know that the direction of fan circulation depends on looking at the fan from below (as opposed to thinking about the top view). The switch used to change the circulation direction is usually located on the base of a ceiling mounted fan.
To enable cooling in summer, turn the ceiling fan counterclockwise
When the fan blades rotate counterclockwise, they push the air in the room downwards. The movement of air in this direction causes a feeling of coolness on the skin, even if the temperature in the room does not change. Even when it’s warm, the moving air can have a cooling effect, just like a light breeze on a hot, humid day.
To turn on winter heating, set the ceiling fan clockwise
When turning clockwise, the fan blade angle draws air into the room and pushes it into the ceiling. Then the air follows the path from the ceiling to the walls and to the floor, so that the heat is evenly distributed in the room. While this can improve heating efficiency by redistributing heat that accumulates near the ceiling, some homeowners find air circulation uncomfortable during the cold months of winter. To alleviate this potential discomfort, set the ceiling fan to the lowest speed possible. Even at the lowest speed you will still achieve the desired effect.
