With colder weather upon us and leaves falling, it’s the perfect moment to adjust your ceiling fan’s direction!

If you live in an area where ceiling fans are used throughout the year, it’s good news! Fans are primarily made to circulate air, and they can be effective in every season due to the angle of their blades. Not only do they cool you down in summer, but they also assist in warming your space during the winter. All it takes is reversing the spinning direction.

Which direction should a ceiling fan spin?

Since warm air rises, it usually collects near the ceiling. In winter, adjusting the fan’s rotation can help push that warm air back down into the room, which helps maintain a comfortable temperature and efficiently warms your space.

Your ceiling fans should rotate:

• Counterclockwise during summer.
• Clockwise during winter.

Along with reversing the fan’s direction, the Department of Energy suggests using a low speed for your fans in winter. Remember to turn off the fan when leaving the room to save energy.

How to adjust the direction of a ceiling fan

Changing the fan’s direction is a simple task. Most fans feature a small switch located on top that can toggle the direction. Flip this switch, and you’re good to go! If you have a smart ceiling fan, there should be a button on the remote to help you with this.

This adjustment usually takes just a couple of minutes per fan, with the bulk of the time spent setting up your step stool or ladder to reach it. You can quickly adjust all the fans in your home in just a few minutes. Be sure to dust off your fan before turning it on after making the switch to avoid a cloud of dust circulating in the air.

When the seasons change again, simply flip the switch back to the initial position.