What direction should a ceiling fan go in summer?

How do you know which way a ceiling fan should go in summer?

Knowing which way a ceiling fan should go in summer will help you get the most out of your fan.  If you use them right, ceiling fans  can offer you more than a simple cooling solution. They can also help you heat your home efficiently. A lot of customers don’t realise that most ceiling fans can spin in both directions: clockwise and counter-clockwise. All it takes to reverse a ceiling fan is the flick of a switch or touch of a button. This functionality gives ceiling fans a “summer mode” and a “winter mode”. Because each direction works differently, it’s important that your fan is spinning in the best direction for the season.

Ceiling fans in summer mode

In summer, a ceiling fan has one job: to create a windchill effect. To achieve this, fans spins counter-clockwise, creating a draught.  If you’re standing within range of the fan, it will move air around you. This helps any perspiration on your skin to evaporate quicker. Voila! You feel cooler. 

Ceiling fans in winter mode

A fan spinning in a clockwise direction draws air upwards. This is an excellent tool in winter when you’re using a heater. Why? Because warm air rises. Imagine turning on a heater in winter. The heated air rises until it’s sitting under the ceiling. So even though the heater is on, the room still feels quite cool! 

Reversing your ceiling fan’s direction draws cooler air up. Circulating air like this also keeps the warm air moving. It’s pushed from underneath the ceiling, back into the room.   

Using summer and winter mode

If you’re not sure how to activate your fan’s reverse feature, start by checking what type of motor you have. Ceiling fans with a DC motor are usually reversible by the remote. If you have an AC fan, it will have a reverse switch on the motor. 

Keep in mind that there may be some exceptions to the examples we’ve outlined above. While it’s true that most fans spin counter-clockwise when they’re in summer mode, some models work differently. At the end of the day, the best way to tell if your fan is in summer mode is to stand underneath it. If you can feel the breeze, it’s in summer mode!