Ceiling fans are great to use during the summer months if you want to cool down a room, but they typically aren't the first thought to heat a room. Ceiling fans can be used in the winter to enhance the warmth throughout your house. If you are looking to save money on energy bills or find new ways to create more heat in your home, you have come to the right place!
So how do ceiling fans work? It’s commonly known that ceiling fans are used to keep a room cooler. The fans generate a breeze that helps evenly distribute and circulate the air within a room. Running ceiling fans while you are home in the summer can enable you to keep your thermostat a couple degrees higher without sacrificing your comfort.
Fewer people are aware that ceiling fans can be used in the winter, just as much as they can be used in the summer. In order to facilitate heat throughout a room with a ceiling fan, you will need to locate the switch that is typically located on the side of the fan. This switch changes the direction at which the blades move. In the summer, you will want to run your fan counter clockwise. In the winter you will want to run your fan clockwise.
How does changing the direction of the blades create more heat? When a ceiling fan is spinning clockwise, the blade pushes air up. Since heat rises, this movement will push the heat at the top of the room towards the bottom where you can feel it. As this process repeats, the room will begin to feel warmer.
Taking advantage of using your ceiling fans during both seasons can save you money on heating and cooling costs. These savings can only be obtained if you turn your thermostat down by 2-5 degrees. If you run your ceiling fan while you are in the room, you should be able to do this without feeling any less comfortable. Turning your thermostat down results in your heater running less often and needing less energy. For optimal savings, choose an energy-efficient fan by looking for the ENERGY STAR label.
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