Why You Should Run Your Ceiling Fan This Winter

It could make you a whole lot more comfy—and cut your energy bills, too.

Your ceiling fan probably gets a lot of use in the heat of summer, when it can help you keep your room cooler (and perhaps even turn off the AC). But the ceiling fan can be just as important in winter, when running it can push warm air away from the ceiling to where you are, to help everyone feel more comfortable.

Here's what you need to know to make that switch from summer mode to winter mode, and use your ceiling fan to keep you cozy this winter.

Benefits of Running a Ceiling Fan in Winter

Just like in the summer, your ceiling fan can circulate cooler and warmer air in a room to help you feel more comfortable. In this case, you'll want to run the ceiling fans with the blades running clockwise. That way, it's creating an updraft that pulls cold air up from the floor toward the ceiling, and pushes warm air back down toward you.

(Just don't forget to switch it back to running counterclockwise when the weather warms up in the spring!)

Related: 10 Ways to Lower Your Heating Bill This Winter, According to Pros

Running your ceiling fan over the winter can help you save some money on your heating bills—without boosting your electric bills much. Most modern ceiling fans can run for just a few pennies per hour. And many experts say running a ceiling fan can help chop up to 15 percent off of your heating bill—and it may even help you feel more comfortable dropping your thermostat by a few degrees.

How to Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fan Blades

For proper winter warmth, you want to run your ceiling fan so that the blades move turn to the right (AKA clockwise).

If you have a ceiling fan with a remote control or app, it's super easy to change the direction—just look for the button and set it so the blades run clockwise. For fans that don't have a remote, look on the body of the ceiling fan for a switch that'll let you change the blade direction to clockwise.

Stand underneath the fan to see which way it's running

If you can't figure out which way it's running, stand underneath the fan and look up.

While you may run your ceiling fan on high during the summer to push the cool air around the room, during the winter, low and slow is what you want to gently push the warm air down.

Related: How to Change a Ceiling Fan's Direction in the Summer and Winter

Fun fact: Running your ceiling fan clockwise can also help clear smoke or bad smells out of an area—so you may want to run it in that direction at other times of year to help clear the air.

How Often You Should Run Your Ceiling Fan in the Winter

Run the ceiling fan whenever people are in the room, as it will help push the warm air down onto them. You can turn it off when everyone is out of the room, as there's no one there to feel its warmth.

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