how to tell which direction a ceiling fan blows

But like many long-held beliefs, this is not exactly true. In the summer, a breeze is a welcome relief from the heat. Amanda Prischak is a freelance writer based in Erie, Pennsylvania. You will most likely need a ladder to reach it. It does this by spinning (typically) counter-clockwise to push cool air downward. And in the winter, your ceiling fan direction should be clockwise. A ceiling fan that spins clockwise will draw cooler air up and force warmer air near the ceiling down and out toward walls. If you’re not sure which method works with your fan, investigate the ones that don’t require busting out a step ladder first. Set the fan speed at its lowest setting if blade movement is too fast to tell which direction the blades are spinning. We recommend our users to update the browser. Then, use a stool or step ladder to access the switch on the side of the fan. 2 Observe the direction the fan blades are turning. I will make certain to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back very soon. Ceiling fans help cool people in summer by producing a wind-chill effect as the fans circulate air downward. Subject: Re: Ceiling Fan Direction Answered By: bcguide-ga on 15 Nov 2002 19:18 PST Rated: Hi, If the specific angle is your focus. For decades, people have been told to set their ceiling fans to reverse, or clockwise, in winter to push down the heat that collects at the ceiling. Your ceiling fan should spin counterclockwise during the summer months. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using a ceiling fan correctly will keep your energy bills lower. Ceiling fans should spin counter-clockwise in the summer. The red arrow in the image points to an example of these markers. Many computer case fans today have a small arrow on one of the sides to indicate the direction the fan is moving air. Which direction should your ceiling fan blades be turning? In the winter, when your heater is running, reversing your ceiling fan moves warm air near the ceiling down to the floor. In the summertime, run your ceiling fan counter-clockwise to push cool air down. Why Does It Matter Which Direction a Ceiling Fan Spins? Spinning it the right way at the right time can help keep everyone in your home comfortable and save money on your utility bills. Here are the answers. This position is also known as the “forward direction.” A ceiling fan … This makes ceiling fans great to use during any time of the year. Ceiling fan direction in the winter should be clockwise, and the fan should run at the lowest speed. During the heating season, you can run ceiling fans throughout the day to bring warm air from ceiling level, down the walls and back to floor level. ceiling fan direction says. I quite enjoyed reading it, you can be a great author. June 11, 2013 at 3:39 pm. What if I can't see them? C eiling fans can spin clockwise or counter-clockwise. This forces the heated air from the ducts and registers away from the walls and into the center of the room as it rises - to the fan again. The Rear or Exhaust side (the side that the air comes out of) of our fans will always be the side that houses the fan motor. For instance, run the fan counterclockwise if an oven heats up your kitchen beyond what’s comfortable, or body heat from a gathering of people makes a room too toasty. A ceiling fan can help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Gil Schauer says. Here’s why: When the air blows counterclockwise, it pushes air downwards, creating a wind chill effect that cools people in the room (more on that in the next section). The direction of air movement for a fitted fan can easily be confirmed with a slither of paper. Remember to adjust your thermostat in order to save money and energy. This site provides advice: "Opt for the optimal angle. During the summer months the fan should be blowing straight down (blades turning counter-clockwise) to help cool you off via a wind chill effect. Robert Korpella has been writing professionally since 2000. This position is also known as the “forward direction.” A ceiling fan that spins counterclockwise forces air downward, providing cooling relief when it’s hot. If you live in a house with a high ceiling, then you may want to run the fan at a higher speed in order to get the air back down to the living quarters. This depends on what the temperature is like outside. They need to be angled wrt to the ceiling to move air up and down, only then does the direction of rotation matter. A clockwise ceiling fan direction for high ceilings is especially important in winter. When running your ceiling fan in this direction, make sure it runs at low speed. Look for a small switch next to the motor of your ceiling fan that directs your blades to run either clockwise or counterclockwise. If it was going clockwise before, now it will be going counterclockwise. This greatly reduces your energy use and can lower your energy bills by as much as 15 percent. Turn the fan off, let it wind to a stop and climb the ladder again if the blades are turning counterclockwise. Shop Remote Control Ceiling Fans A fan that blows air out of the case will blow the paper away from case. The air flows toward the floor and along the … Energy Star: Ceiling Fan Installation and Usage Tips, Danny Lipford: How to Use a Paddle Ceiling Fan Properly; Ben Erickson, How to Replace the Fan Motor in a Roof Vent Fan, How to Adjust the LA Setting on a Stihl Chainsaw. In one direction the air will be pushed downward and in the other, the air is pushed upward. If the blades are flat and parallel to the ceiling, it doesn’t matter which way they spin because they won’t move air up or down. You may need to climb a ladder to reach the chain on the fan that controls motor speed. To make sure it is set correctly, stand directly under the … Many fans have a switch mounted on the body that reverses the fan motor during the heating season. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. This makes ceiling fans great to use during any time of the year. Always make sure your fan is turned off and completely still before getting on the ladder. Press the reverse button to set your fan to spin clockwise for the fall and winter. Start by examining the wall switch for the fan as well as any remotes that came with the fan. During summer, you should run your ceiling fans in the counterclockwise direction. This blows air across your skin, helping you feel cooler. A fan set to move clockwise (opposite the ceiling fan direction in summer) and run on low speed creates an updraft. When run properly, ceiling fans can lower heating bills by bringing warm air from the ceiling back down to the level people occupy, and where the thermostat is located. You’ll avoid the windchill affect of your fan and more evenly heat your home, which in turn will allow you to turn down your thermostat and save energy. Stand on your head! Keep the fan direction in mind when you’re looking to cool down or warm up a room. Spinning it the right way at the right time can help keep everyone in your home comfortable and save money on your utility bills. The direction a fan blows air is always determined by (A) the shape of the blades (sometimes called propellers) and (B) the direction they turn. 4 General Rules: The direction of the fan is determined by you looking up at it. You will need a ladder or a step stool to reach the motor housing. Hello, The rotation of the blade is decided by what part of the motor it is attached to. Conversely, run a fan clockwise to amplify the heat from a fireplace or any other heat source in a room. Most types of ceiling fans have a switch on the motor that lets you change the direction by sliding it one way or the other. By spinning your ceiling fan in this direction it will pull cold air up to the ceiling and force the warm air that’s built up back down the walls and into the room. Otherwise, a higher speed may actually cool down the warm air which defeats the whole purpose. Home House & Components Parts of House Ceiling. Observe the direction the fan blades are turning. When looking at our fans, the Front or Intake side of the fan will always be the side that has the Cooler Master Logo in the center of the blades. Since ceiling fan blades are pitched at an angle, reversing the motor changes how the blades slice through the air, which changes air flow in the room. It should blow up during the winter months, so that the forced air blows across the ceiling and down the walls. To change the direction of your ceiling fan, start by turning the fan off if it’s not already. This position is also known as the “reverse direction.” Because warm air rises, the air near the ceiling can be three to four degrees warmer than air near the floor. For a ceiling fan to move the right amount of air, its blades should be set at a 14 degree angle. Reverse direction for a ceiling fan is a clockwise motion producing an updraft. It’s best to run the fan on a low speed so that it doesn’t create too much of a cooling breeze. What You Need to Know About Your Ceiling Fan’s Direction. Press the forward button to set your ceiling fan to spin counterclockwise for the summer. Your ceiling fan should blow directly down under the fan during the summer months. While most people are familiar with the cooling effect that circulating air can have during the warm-weather months, they may not realize that circulating air can help keep your home warm when the temperatures turn cool. The Direction & Speed of Ceiling Fan Rotation in the Winter & Summer. Such fans are poorly made and simply don't move much air in either direction. These fans are usually exhaust units, and most always "pull" the air out and away from the evaporator. How to Change Your Ceiling Fan’s Direction. But did you know you should change the direction your ceiling fan spins from season to season? Two people, upon viewing the same ceiling fan at the same moment in time will often describe the direction in which the fan's blades are moving in terms that are directly opposite of one another. How Much Does a Ceiling Fan Cost to Operate? Ceiling Fan Direction and Airflow Demystified. Reply. So if you cannot tell if your fan is in forward or reverse by just turning it on high speed and standing under it, maybe it's time to consider replacing your fan with one that actually moves a good amount of air. How to Replace a Warped Ceiling Fan Blade, How to Turn the Blower on Without Running the Furnace, How to Rewind the Pull Starter on a Homelite Chainsaw, How to Fix a High-Pitched Noise in a GE Oven. What Direction Should It Spin in Summer? Fan speed should be on medium or high. Doing so helps keep the furnace from heating the space more than necessary as warm air rises to the top of the room. Our latest shed is also a pavilion—and you can build it, too! If a blade is angled down and the fan turns in the same direction as the blade angle, it will blow forward. Although the direction can vary by some manufacturers, check to make sure you have your fan set to the accurate warm weather rotation by standing below it. When the blades spin this way, they push air down into the room. There are typically three ways to change the direction of the fan, depending on the model you have. When you want a warming effect, you should switch the direction of the fan to clockwise. Grab a small piece of paper and lay it across the fan when PC is on. After the blades slow, observe the direction they are moving and make sure they move in a clockwise direction. It’s recommended to run the fan faster the hotter it gets to increase the cooling airflow. Little things like the right setting on your ceiling fan can make a huge impact. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Ceiling fans cost less to operate than running a 100-watt light bulb. More tricked-out ceiling fans come with remote controls with buttons that let you easily and conveniently change the spin direction and speed of the fan. Which Direction Should Ceiling Fans go in Winter? Likewise, if the blade is angled down and the fan turns the opposite direction, the reverse is true. Stand directly beneath the ceiling fan while it is running. Your ceiling fan should spin counterclockwise during the summer months. You should have a counterclockwise ceiling fan rotation in spring, summer, and fall when it’s hot. The switch is typically mounted on the fan body, below the blades. It all depends which direction the ceiling fan rotates. You will also be able to identify the Exhaust side as you will see power wires entering the fan motor. Conversely, ceiling fan needs to spin clockwise during the winter months. Counterclockwise is the correct rotation for summer. Korpella's work has appeared in a variety of publications. Keep ceiling fans on their lowest setting during the heating season. The direction should be changed as the seasons change. How to Change the Direction of a Ceiling Fan, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), 8 Styles of Ceiling Fans to Beat the Heat, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. Stand directly beneath the ceiling fan while it is running. I want to encourage continue your great writing, have a nice afternoon! Air will blow in the other direction (towards the … How can I change my ceiling fan direction? If the blades are turning clockwise, they are moving in the correct direction for the heating season. In Summer: Counter-Clockwise Running a ceiling fan in the proper direction all year round can help save energy and keep you more comfortable. This pulls cool air up toward the ceiling, which in turn displaces the warm air that rises and collects near the ceiling. Thanks for a marvelous posting! Ceiling fans help circulate air in your home. August 28, 2013 at 6:52 pm. He is a certified Master Naturalist, regularly monitors stream water quality and is the editor of freshare.net, a site exploring the Ozarks outdoors. Then slide the direction switch -- provided your fan has one -- so that the fan operates in a clockwise fashion. It moves the warmer air trapped at the very top of the room down. It all depends which direction the ceiling fan rotates. As I have also advised many times. 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