Home Improvement Ideas Green Living Energy-Efficient Homes Why Changing Your Ceiling Fan Direction Is Key to Keeping Your Home Cool This Summer This simple switch helps reduce energy costs by maximizing your ceiling fan's efficiency. Learn how to set your ceiling fan direction for summer and winter to keep your home comfortable year-round. By Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett Instagram Jessica Bennett is the digital assistant home editor at Better Homes & Gardens. With a knack for writing and editing, she covers decorating, home improvement, cleaning, organizing, and more for BHG.com. With nearly five years of combined experience in digital and magazine journalism, she has contributed over 800 articles for BHG.com to date, and her writing on interior design and decorating has been featured in 16 national print magazines, including Do It Yourself, Country Home, Beautiful Kitchens & Baths, Secrets of Getting Organized, and more. Jessica received a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University. She also completed a secondary major in French language studies. Prior to graduation, she was inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society, which recognizes academic excellence in the field of journalism. She is currently pursuing an interior design certificate from the New York Institute of Art + Design. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 16, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Ceiling fans can make a stuffy room feel pleasantly cool, but unlike air conditioners, they don't actually lower the temperature. Instead, fans generate a breeze, creating a sort of wind-chill effect as the moving air helps you eliminate body heat. But if your ceiling fan is just pushing around hot air, this phenomenon won't be nearly as effective. To keep your home cool in the summertime (and comfortably warm in the winter), you might need to change the direction of your ceiling fan's blades. James Nathan Schroder The way your ceiling fan blades rotate determines how air circulates in the room. As warm air naturally rises, cool air tends to settle near the floor. In the summer, ceiling fans should spin counterclockwise, which creates a downdraft that redistributes cool air around the room. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, running a ceiling fan correctly can allow you to bump up your thermostat by about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. And since ceiling fans use much less energy than most air conditioning units, this is a smart way to cut down cooling costs during the warmer months. The Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist for Every Season When colder weather hits, your ceiling fan should be set to rotate clockwise to help distribute heat coming from your furnace, fireplace, or space heater. By creating an updraft, the fan pulls cool air from below up toward the ceiling and pushes the warm air around the room, effectively eliminating any cold pockets. Just be sure to set the fan to low speed so it doesn't create a wind-chill effect. How to Change Your Ceiling Fan Direction Most ceiling fans have a small switch located on the side of the base that allows you to change the direction of the blades. With the fan off, use a sturdy ladder to reach the switch near the motor. In some cases, you can also change the direction with a remote or wall panel; check your fan's manual for instructions if you can't locate the switch. Once you flipped the switch, turn on your fan, stand directly underneath, and look up to ensure it's turning in the right direction. Plan to change your ceiling fan's direction seasonally so it turns counterclockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit