--- title: "Making One Easy Adjustment to Your Ceiling Fan Can Lower Your Energy Bills" description: "Seasonally adjusting your ceiling fan's direction can keep your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Here's what to do." date: "2017-02-24" modified: "2026-09-09" authors: - name: "Bob Vila" job_title: "Founder" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/bob-vila.md" url: "https://www.bobvila.com/articles/ceiling-fan-direction/" categories: - "Cooling" - "Energy & Power" - "Exterior" - "Heating & Cooling" - "Interior" - "Walls & Ceilings" tags: - "How To" --- # Making One Easy Adjustment to Your Ceiling Fan Can Lower Your Energy Bills ![Woman flips a switch on the base of a ceiling fan.]() *Photo: Tom Fenenga for BobVila.com* Most people who have ceiling fans use them to cool their homes, but these energy-efficient fixtures can also be used to make your home feel warmer when chilly weather sets in. What’s more, a quick seasonal adjustment of your ceiling fan can help lower your energy bills. Changing the direction of the fan blades’ spinning motion is the secret to getting the most out of a ceiling fan. Read on for fan direction 411, as well as important info on the span and pitch of fan blades. ## Seasonal Ceiling Fan Direction Ceiling fans circulate air and thereby affect how cool or warm a space feels without actually changing the temperature. Here’s how their function in different seasons stacks up. ### Summer In warm weather, the blades of a ceiling fan should spin counterclockwise. This produces a current that moves down and out, which then sends air back up along the walls. Redistributing the air throughout a room in this way works because cooler air naturally pools near the floor while hot air rises; the blades’ counterclockwise spin moves cooler air to a level where you can feel it on your skin. This concept is known as the wind chill effect. Of course, since the temperature in the room is not actually lower, it’s best to turn the fan off when no one is around to benefit. **Pro tip:** Ceiling fans are only considered safe in rooms with 8-foot ceilings or higher, for the safety of people walking around in the room. But to maximize their efficiency, make sure your blades are positioned 10 to 12 inches from the ceiling and 7 to 9 feet from the floor. ### Winter It might seem counterintuitive to turn on a fan when you want warm up, but it really does work if you make this one adjustment: A fan set to spin clockwise (opposite the direction for summer) and run at low speed creates an updraft. This pulls cold air up to the ceiling and more evenly distributes the warmth the room receives from your central heating system, space heater, or fireplace. The fan moves the air to keep things cozy throughout your living space instead of letting cold pockets settle. Again, the temperature isn’t actually changing; it just feels that way. As you would in the summer, turn the ceiling fan off when exiting the room. ## Correct Ceiling Fan Direction Can Cut Energy Costs ![]() Operating a ceiling fan correctly can help lower your utility bill. According to the [U.S. Department of Energy]() (DOE), if you use air conditioning during hot weather, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. In temperate climates, or during moderately warm weather, ceiling fans may allow you to [avoid air conditioner]() use altogether. Reversing fan direction in winter can also save energy because it will keep warm air, which naturally rises, down at the level where people gather. This can allow you to turn the thermostats down a bit without feeling noticeably colder. Ceiling fan manufacturers claim that doing this consistently and correctly can [reduce heating bills]() by up to 15 percent. For extra savings, run the fan at a lower speed in winter. ## How Is Ceiling Fan Efficiency Measured? For maximum savings from a ceiling fan, consider the unit’s efficiency rating, which is determined by how much airflow it creates compared to the amount of electrical energy it uses. Airflow rating is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) per one watt (W) of electrical power while the fan is running at high speed. The higher the CFM, the more energy efficient the fan will be. A very inefficient ceiling fan would have a CFM of about 75, while an efficient model will have a CFM in the 4,000 to 5,000 range, and the best CFM is 6,000 or more. ### Blade Span and Pitch Blade span and pitch are both factors worth considering when it comes to ceiling fan efficiency. Generally speaking, the larger the blade span, the more efficient the fan will be. Medium-sized rooms of between 144 and 225 square feet should do well with a fan blade span between 44 and 50 inches. Blade pitch refers to the angle at which the blade is set in relation to the fan, and it determines how well the blades will rotate. For blades to whip the air enough to get it circulating around the room, optimum pitch is between 12 and 14 degrees. Blades set at a lower angle will slice the air without producing adequate air circulation, while those pitched too high meet too much resistance, potentially causing the motor to burn out. ## How to Change Ceiling Fan Direction Most ceiling fans have a switch on the motor housing that toggles the blades’ direction from counterclockwise (the standard setting) to clockwise. When winter’s chill hits your home, first check your fan's wall panel (if it has one) for a reverse-direction setting, which is the easiest way to flip from summer mode to winter mode. Press it once and check the fan to ensure that the blade direction has reversed. If your ceiling fan does not have a wall panel, you’ll need to change the direction manually. Turn the fan off, wait for the blades to stop moving, and use a sturdy ladder to reach the small switch on the motor housing. If the switch isn’t immediately visible, check the top of the motor housing, above the blades. Flip the switch, climb down, turn the fan on low, then confirm that it’s running in the desired direction. ## FAQ ## Author Bob Vila is America's Handyman. As a TV host, author, spokesperson, builder and historic preservationist, he has been heavily involved in construction and remodeling for the better part of a half century. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Pinterest]() [Facebook]() [Instagram]() ## More - [7 Simple Steps That Make Cleaning Ceiling Fans a Breeze]() - [How Much Does Ceiling Fan Installation Cost?]() - [How to Install a Ceiling Fan Where a Ceiling Light Fixture Used to Be]() - [How To: Balance a Wobbly Ceiling Fan]() - [10 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Air Conditioner That Are Spiking Your Energy Bills]() - [How to Make a Fan Blow Cold Air: 3 Tricks That Actually Work]() - [We Tried an HGTV Star’s Ceiling Fan—Here’s What We Thought]() - [The Minka-Aire Ceiling Fan Is Impressive, but Is It Worth It? A Tested Review]()