Frugal Tip: Fans Go Both Ways
Many people have ceiling fans and use them in the summer, but ceiling fans are designed to be used year round – a fact I didn’t know until I had fans of my own.
In the summer, set the fan so that it pushes the cooler air (from the vents) back down on you. This is usually counter-clockwise, but it can vary based on how the blades of your fan are set up. So check your fan by turning it on and standing under it. Do you feel a breeze down towards you? If not, look for a switch on the body of the fan to switch the direction it spins, and then try again.
In the winter, the fan should pull air up so that it pushes the hotter air (that rises) back down the outside walls, maintaining a warmer temperature overall. Again, in most fans this is clockwise, but test for yourself with your fans. Make sure you use a low speed setting for this, or you’ll cool the air at the same time.
Circulating your air year round can help to lower your utility bills by keeping a comfortable temperature year round. Try it and see what you think!
This frugal tip by paidtwice who has two fans that only spin in one direction – on the list of future home improvements.