As summer comes to a close and you start preparing the exterior of your house for fall, it’s also time to get the indoors ready for those colder months. As you go through your winter checklist to get your home ready for colder weather, you’ll want to also to add this fan trick to the list.

What Is the Winter Fan Hack?

Typically your ceiling fan is used to keep your room cool during the summer. But did you know that it can also help with keeping your house warm during the winter? That’s right, and it’s very simple to do! All you have to do is switch around the direction of your fan. Simply switching the direction of your fan will actually push the warm air down from the ceiling, keeping your room warm (and saving you money on that energy bill). If saving money is your goal, you can simply turn down the thermostat and let the fan push down the warm air that’s already in the house. A low setting is all you need to keep the warm air flowing.

Does Reversing the Fan In Winter Really Help?

Since warm air rises, it makes sense that you would want some type of contraption to push that warm air back down to the ground. When the fan is moving in the “forward” direction (counter-clockwise) it just pushes down cool air. But putting the fan on “reverse” (clockwise) on a low speed will gently draw up the warm air and push it back down, circling the warm air around the room.

So this fall, take some time to set all of your fans to move clockwise! This “winter mode” will help to keep your rooms warm while also conserving energy—not to mention, it’ll save you money!

Ways to Save Energy and Still Stay Warm During Winter

Whether you’re battling rising heating costs or simply looking for cozy winter solutions, these tips will help you stay warm and save energy.

Author
Kiersten Hickman
Kiersten Hickman is a journalist and content strategist with a main focus on nutrition, health, and wellness coverage. She holds an MA in Journalism from DePaul University and a Nutrition Science certificate from Stanford Medicine. Her work has been featured in publications including Taste of Home, Reader's Digest, Bustle, Buzzfeed, INSIDER, MSN, E...
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Kiersten Hickman