Using Ceiling Fans In Winter

Think the only time to use a ceiling fan is in the summer? Think again.

For many homeowners, ceiling fans are a must have item during the summer months to keep cool through the heat. This is because air flow from the blades causes a wind chill effect that cools your skin. They don’t produce cold air; they simply move the air so you feel cooler. They are perfect additions to bedrooms, family rooms and kitchen nooks, places you spend the majority of your time every day.

Yet ceiling fans may be just as beneficial in the winter.

Warm air rises. Because of this, a lot of the warm air produced by your heating system rises and goes to the ceiling, leaving the cooler air down near floor level. Especially in homes where tall ceilings add to the ambiance of your living space, it means your personal space is cooler than the heat above near the ceiling. By reversing your ceiling fan to blow air up, this warm air is redistributed throughout the room. Essentially warming the room by pushing the warm air back down.

Some studies have shown that this simple redistribution process can add up to as much as a 15 percent savings. That’s a significant savings on your heating bill each month.

Sounds good, right? But what about the wind chill? After all, a fan’s sole purpose is moving the air to help cool you down. Won’t running a fan in winter create that same chill?

Reversing the fan forces air up, not down. Always run the fan at its lowest setting; your goal is to simply move the air. It doesn’t take a massive amount of airflow to circulate the warm air. Just a gentle flow will disrupt the pattern and cause it to move, redistribute to different parts of your room.

Of course, a lot of this depends on the height of your ceilings. Have very high vaulted ceilings? You may find you don’t need to reverse the fan at all. By simply adjusting the ceiling fan to a low setting, you can’t feel the breeze, and it accomplishes the goal of sending the warm air back down. It just takes a little trial and error to find the best method for your home environment.

To learn more about ceiling fans, including how to choose the right model for your room, contact us today.