Use Your Ceiling Fan In Winter? Absolutely

Fall is upon us and the cold winter months are fast approaching. Though you may not think you have any further use for your ceiling fan until next summer, you may want to think twice. You’ll be amazed to see how running your fans this winter can help to boost both your home comfort and lower your heating bill.

How can my ceiling fan be used during the winter?

Most homeowners use their fans to help distribute cool air throughout their homes during the summer months, so it probably seems backward to want to leave them on when the temperature drops. If you take a closer look at your fan, you’ll discover a switch on its motor housing that will cause the blades to spin in the opposite direction as they normally do. By reversing the rotation of the fan blades (clockwise in the winter), the air from your home will be forced upward instead of downward. As air is pushed up, it will displace warm air that has risen near your ceiling and return it back down into the room.

What benefits can I expect from running my ceiling fan this winter?

One of the biggest perks to running your ceiling fan through the cooler months is that you will actually stay warmer. The clockwise rotation of your fan’s blades will redistribute warm air to the living areas of your home, resulting in more even heating, keeping the temperature in your home more comfortable and consistent.

Of course, another great bonus is that utilizing fans this winter will help you to save extra cash. When the heat in your home is evenly distributed, your furnace will cycle on and off less frequently. Ultimately, you could enjoy a savings on your heating bill by as much as 10 percent this winter.

For more expert advice on using your ceiling fans to your advantage this winter, contact the professionals at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal. We’ve been serving residents of northwest Arkansas for over 40 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Northwest Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about ceiling fans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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