Ceiling fans- Turn them on in the winter?

[JEDI]

Most modern ceiling fans have 2 switches. one is to draw the cold air from the ground up towards the ceiling. (summer setting- blades rotating clockwise)

the other is to force warm air from the ceiling to the ground. (winter setting- blades spin counter clockwise)

i tried the winter setting. it still feels colder than if i didn't have the fan on. i guess the air current makes it feel colder? (my bed is directly under the ceiling fan)

anyone have the ceiling fan on in the winter? what do you think?

 

[jtusa]

Dude you're seriously analyzing the issue way too much. If you feel colder with it on and don't want to be colder, then turn it off. It's that simple.

 

[Rage187]

yep, it will be cold if it blows directly on you.

If the room is already cold, it wont help either.

 

[zimu]

i hadn't even heard of this whole winter and summer setting deal. i'd 99% keep it off in winter though. i don't see it blowing warm summer breezes during the coldest of months...

 

[Feldenak]

My ceiling fans run year-round.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
My ceiling fans run year-round.

do u change the setting on the fan, depending on which season it is?

 

[Amused]

Ideal settings for ceiling fans:

In the summer, have them blowing DOWN so as to blow directly on the occupants of the room and cool them. This also equalizes the temps in the room

In the winter, have them blowing UP so as to keep the temp at the top and bottom of the room equal without blowing air directly on the occupants and making them cold.

No matter which direction you have the fan set, it will equalize the temps at the different levels of the room. The ONLY difference direction makes is whether or not the fan is blowing directly at you, or not.

 

[alm4rr]

I leave it on counterclockwise all year (pushing down)

 

[Pliablemoose]

We run the ceiling fans in the winter, either direction actually, but @ a lower speed setting.

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: Amused
Ideal settings for ceiling fans:

In the summer, have them blowing DOWN so as to blow directly on the occupants of the room and cool them. This also equalizes the temps in the room

In the winter, have them blowing UP so as to keep the temp at the top and bottom of the room equal without blowing air directly on the occupants and making them cold.

No matter which direction you have the fan set, it will equalize the temps at the different levels of the room. The ONLY difference direction makes is whether or not the fan is blowing directly at you, or not.

Umm yeah. OP has it backwards. Usually the fans only make a difference in the winter if you have cathedral ceilings where the heat from the room can go way up to the top and you don't feel it. That's when you set it to blow upwards to circulate the air without actually feeling a breeze.

 

[whoiswes]

yup, we have 6 fans in our house (adding two more later on) and they kept us from running the air the entire summer - we only had 4 days where it was too hot in the house to go without. granted, it was a mild summer, but still...

we will be running them on low (about 1 rev per second) this winter on the upward setting to help redistribute the warm air as well as keep the air fresh. we have wood pellet heat, do this little bit of air movement is key to helping heat the whole house.

like everyone else said - if you're not comfortable, change the settings...you definitely don't want the fan on high during the winter no matter what - low is plenty, and medium might be occassionally necessary for some odd reason.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior

Originally posted by: Amused
Ideal settings for ceiling fans:

In the summer, have them blowing DOWN so as to blow directly on the occupants of the room and cool them. This also equalizes the temps in the room

In the winter, have them blowing UP so as to keep the temp at the top and bottom of the room equal without blowing air directly on the occupants and making them cold.

No matter which direction you have the fan set, it will equalize the temps at the different levels of the room. The ONLY difference direction makes is whether or not the fan is blowing directly at you, or not.

Umm yeah. OP has it backwards. Usually the fans only make a difference in the winter if you have cathedral ceilings where the heat from the room can go way up to the top and you don't feel it. That's when you set it to blow upwards to circulate the air without actually feeling a breeze.

so counter clockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter?

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: Feldenak
My ceiling fans run year-round.

do u change the setting on the fan, depending on which season it is?

same here, but i dont worry about the switch. my celiling are not that high and it doesnt make any difference at all which directions the blades are turning. that switch is for really high ceilings where it traps hot air to push back down.

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: Amused
Ideal settings for ceiling fans:

In the summer, have them blowing DOWN so as to blow directly on the occupants of the room and cool them. This also equalizes the temps in the room

In the winter, have them blowing UP so as to keep the temp at the top and bottom of the room equal without blowing air directly on the occupants and making them cold.

No matter which direction you have the fan set, it will equalize the temps at the different levels of the room. The ONLY difference direction makes is whether or not the fan is blowing directly at you, or not.

Amused is correct. You have your settings reversed. You want the fan blowing on you in the summer to directly cool you. You want it in reverse in the winter to simply ensure good mixing of the air in your room.

R

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: Feldenak
My ceiling fans run year-round.

do u change the setting on the fan, depending on which season it is?

I run mine just like Amused suggests in his post.

 

[JEDI]

but which way does the blades turn to blow down, and which way to blow up?

 

[Injury]

Save the electricty, go the store and buy a blanket for $10.

 

[spidey07]

I belive generally counter-clockwise (when looking up at the fan) blows down. You can make sure by looking at the blades.

If the leading edge is higher than trailing edge then it is blowing air down, and conversely if the leading edge is lower than it is blowing up.

 

[db]

If it's a BIG room with one fan, it *may* warm the room in the winter if it doesn't operate too fast (blowing upwards).
Just remember, if you are getting an air current over your *body*, it will cool you no matter what.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Injury
Save the electricty, go the store and buy a blanket for $10.

Running a ceiling fan in the winter on low SAVES energy because it keeps the hot air from collecting at the top of the room.

It saves money in the summer by blowing directly on you and making you feel cooler, thus running your AC less.

 

[waggy]

oddly enough i was wondering about that myself. we have fans in every room of the house.


well not the computer room/playroom. it had one but the old owner broke it and never replaced it. they just patched the hole in the ceiling.

 

[Squisher]

Unless there are cathedral ceilings I don't see how keeping it on in the winter will do anything but produce drafts.

 

[Kibbo]

I can't see how operating an electric fan can save you money when using a gas furnace. I'd like evidence on the effectiveness.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Unless there are cathedral ceilings I don't see how keeping it on in the winter will do anything but produce drafts.

Many homes have 9' or higher flat ceilings, and still other have two story rooms. Not all homes have 8' ceilings.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: jtusa4
Dude you're seriously analyzing the issue way too much. If you feel colder with it on and don't want to be colder, then turn it off. It's that simple.

exactly