How This Switch on Your Ceiling Fan Can Save You Money This Indiana Winter

As we prepare to head into the cooler winter months, you might want to check out your ceiling fan to save energy and money.

If you're one of those people who read the title and said "What switch?" It's okay. As it turns out there are a lot of people who still don't know the purpose of the switch found near the base of your ceiling fan is for.  If you don't know the purpose of the switch on your ceiling fan, don't worry. I'm not judging you. I'm here to help you. Oh, and for those who do know about the switch, consider this a friendly reminder. It serves as a reminder for me each year because I tend to forget to take advantage of that switch when the seasons change.

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Okay, now this might be common knowledge to some, but for those who don't know about the switch, here's the deal. If you look near the motor of the fan (this should go without saying, but you never know nowadays- turn the fan off before you have your hands or head close to it), you will see a switch that you may not have noticed before. This switches your fan from a "warm air" setting to a "cool air" setting. Use this switch on your ceiling fans in the winter and summer to save energy and money.

What's the Point of the Switch on Your Ceiling Fan?

When you get home, turn on your ceiling fan and pay attention to which direction the blades are spinning. The direction in which your fan spins actually matters. It's all dependent upon the season.

In the warmer months (like we are experiencing now), you want your fan to spin counterclockwise to push cool air downward. During the cooler winter months, you are going to want to flip the switch on there to spin the fan clockwise to pull air upward and push the warm air back down.  You should also run the fan at its lowest speed in the winter.

A lot of people don't think of running their ceiling fans in the winter because it's cold enough.  However, most ceiling fans are built for year-round use, and taking advantage of this can help homeowners improve their energy savings...who doesn't like saving money, right?! According to The Home Depot:

When used in conjunction with air conditioning in summer, you can raise the thermostat 4 degrees with no loss of comfort and recoup up to 30 percent on your energy bills; in winter, you can expect to cut costs by up to 15 percent.

Okay, so let's sum this up: Your fan should spin counterclockwise when it's warm to circulate cool air and clockwise in the cool months to circulate warm air in your home. Switching the direction of your ceiling fan will help make your home more comfortable and potentially save you some money on your energy bill. It's a good idea to check your fans in your home and be sure to change the direction as the seasons change.