Seasonal Ceiling Fan Rotation
An energy-efficient ceiling fan helps a home to feel warmer as it circulates air during winter heating season, and cooler as it circulates air during summer cooling season. Many fans use as little as 15 watts of power at low speed, so they are very cost-effective to operate.
However, you have to change the rotation of the blades a the season changes to keep doing the job properly. Most fans have a slider switch, a pull cord, or a remote control to change the blade direction, so it only takes a few minutes.
Summer Rotation Blows Air Down
A fan does not actually lower the room temperature, but it makes people feel cooler by creating a breeze across their skin. If you have a ceiling fan in a room whose temperature is 80 degrees, running the fan can create a wind-chill effect that makes you feel as if the temperature is 72 degrees. When used in conjunction with an air conditioner, a ceiling fan can lower energy costs because you can set the thermostat of your air conditioner at a higher temperature and still feel cool. In the summer, the fan blades should push the air down toward the floor and across your skin.
Winter Rotation Pushes Air Up
A ceiling fan can help lower energy consumption in the winter by up to 15%. The temperature of the air in the room is layered because warm air rises, so the air near the ceiling is warmer than the air near the floor. A ceiling fan can help push the warmer air that is trapped near the ceiling back down into the room, which de-stratifies the layers of warm air. As a result, the warm air is circulated where it is needed, and the heating system does not have to work so hard. The ceiling fan should be run so that it pushes the air up against the ceilings and out to the side walls. This movement gently re-circulates the warm air without creating a cooling wind-chill effect.
Ceiling Fan Installation
Many homes have a pre-wired junction box in the ceiling of some rooms, and handy homeowners are able to purchase and install a ceiling fan by themselves. If you need a junction box added to your home or would like help installing a fan, please give us a call. We’ll put it up and make sure it is turning in the right direction.