South coast sparky winter tip: Reverse your ceiling fan direction for winter

When you light the fire or turn on the heater you probably aren’t thinking about turning on your ceiling fan. However, ceiling fans are great for creating a cosy vibe in the cooler months and can actually save you money by reducing your energy use. And it’s as simple as flicking your fan’s switch from summer to winter. Yep, it’s that simple!
 
So how does the humble ceiling fan increase the warmth of your home and reduce your heating costs? 
 
Changing the fan’s direction from its counter-clockwise summer setting to clockwise for winter will redistribute the air, pulling the cool air up and pushing the warm air, which naturally rises to the ceiling, down. This will make your room feel cosier for you and family. 
 
An added bonus of switching your ceiling fan to its winter mode is that the redistribution of air around the room reduces window condensation and increases the humidity of the space meaning that the dehydrating effect of heating is reduced – no need for that old pot of water on top of your wood heater now. 
 
Using your ceiling fan on its winter setting will help you save on your heating costs and will reduce energy resources – good for you and the planet. By keeping the warm air low you can turn the temperature down and still stay warm. Running the fan itself draws a small amount of electricity so generally you will still save on your energy use. There are different estimates for how much this can save you, ranging from 10% to 24% in energy savings depending on where you live, how you heat your home and other factors. 
 
Changing the direction of you ceiling fan is as simple as flipping the switch from summer to winter. Turn off your fan and change the position of the switch that controls the direction of your fan. On most modern ceiling fans this will be the only switch located on the body of the fan. 
 
And don’t forget to switch it back once the weather heats up – just remember clockwise in winter and counter-clockwise in summer. 
 
If you’d like ceiling fans installed or to discuss what fans suit your home, please  contact us today for a chat or a free quote.