Ceiling Fan Rules for Winter & Summer

Summer

• During summer, run the fan counterclockwise to create a breeze. For fans with a control switch on the wall, the fan direction is forward. Fan speeds can vary, but medium or high will create a wind chill effect. The moving air evaporates sweat from your skin, which makes you feel cooler.

Winter

• Operate the ceiling fan clockwise to force warm air at the ceiling down into the room. If your ceiling fan is operated with a wall control switch, set it on reverse. Low air circulation is all you need to move the warm air down.

Exceptions

• Fans mounted on ceilings higher than 8 feet require more speed to circulate the air. Ceiling fans that are 16 to 20 feet from the floor can operate clockwise on high, which will force the warm air into the living area. In warmer months, operate the fan counterclockwise on high speed to create a breeze.

Operating Cost

• According to Allegheny Power, the cost of running a 90-watt ceiling fan that runs 180 hours a month is $1.14. But the actual cost is calculated by taking the number of watts the ceiling fan has and multiplying it by the number of hours you run the fan every month. Divide that number by 1,000, which is the number of kilowatt hours used. Multiply the kWh by the cost of the kWh on an electric bill. This will give you a more accurate figure.