You can/should change the direction of your ceiling fan in the winter.

Since heat rises, if you switch your ceiling fan to spin clockwise on the lowest speed possible during the winter, it’ll distribute the warm air that’s coming from your heater throughout the room. That means, you might be able to lower your thermostat, saving a few bucks on your energy bill while still feel warm and cozy.

Does it Matter What Direction a Ceiling Fan Turns?

Yes, it certainly does matter which direction a ceiling fan turns!  Ceiling fan direction may not be something you think about on a regular basis, but it can make a big difference in the comfort of your home and impact the number on your energy bill.  The reason is that the clockwise and counterclockwise rotations push the air in opposite directions, which aligns with the way your airflow needs change in the summer and winter seasons.  So, if you can’t feel air from ceiling fan the way you want to, it may be going in the wrong direction for that time of year.

Which Direction Should Your Ceiling Fan Spin for Summer and Winter?

Changing your ceiling fan direction seasonally is a simple way to SAVE YEAR-ROUND. The ceiling fan direction in summer should be counterclockwise to help create a downdraft, which creates that direct, cooling breeze. Your fan direction in winter needs to be clockwise to create an updraft and circulate warm air around the room. By recirculating the warm air and distributing it back into the living space you can improve the average room temperature and keep your furnace from working overtime. This winter is predicted to be a cold one! Make sure you are doing everything you can to stay warm without overusing costly energy sources.

How do you change the ceiling fan direction? It’s easy whether you use the ceiling fan switch, push button control on the fan remote, or use voice commands with your smart fans.

What Happens When You Reverse a Ceiling Fan?

It breaks down like this:

• Ceiling fan direction winter = clockwise (updraft)
• Ceiling fan direction summer = counterclockwise (downdraft)

Ceiling fan direction in winter

In the winter, ceiling fans need to spin clockwise on low speed (any faster and you’ll start to feel a cool breeze). This creates an updraft that helps move warm air trapped near the ceiling back out and around the room, changing the average temperature in the living space. This is especially helpful in rooms with vaulted ceilings. You and your thermostat will feel the difference from recirculating the warm air, and this will help your heating unit run less often. 

Check if your fan is in winter mode by standing under it and watching the blades spin. The blades should be rotating from left to right (clockwise). You can also stand directly under the fan while it’s on high speed; whichever way you feel the least amount of cool air is the correct direction.

Cleaning the fan is often a deterrent. To clean your fan for winter, safely power it down, use an old pillowcase or microfiber cloth to trap dust from blades (trapping dust inside the case before shaking outside), wipe down the motor housing with a damp cloth and use compressed air for vents, clean light globes separately, and finally, set the fan direction to clockwise to push warm air down for efficient winter heating.