Ceiling fans offer an affordable way to keep your rooms cooler in the heat of summer, and you can also use them to keep your home warmer in the winter. The job of a ceiling fan is to help circulate air. What most people don’t realize is that fans have a few settings to not only adjust the speed of the rotation but also the spin direction. Here we explain how to make the most of your ceiling fans all year long.
Most ceiling fans have two spin directions: 1. clockwise and 2. counterclockwise. Although it might seem what direction your ceiling fan spins makes no difference, it is an important feature you should know how to use. Both directions help move stagnant air in a room which in turn allows you to either create cooler air or force the hot air that rises downwards. You choose the direction that will keep your room comfortable. If you run it the wrong way, you will get the opposite effect.
The clockwise spin is designed to create an updraft. As a result, this is the direction you want your fan to spin in the winter. Although the term clockwise sounds like the spin is going in the intended direction, in the case of ceiling fans, clockwise actually refers to a reverse rotation. When the fan spins clockwise, it draws cold air up and sends warm air down into your room. This allows you to conserve energy because the extra warm air allows you to set your furnace thermostat lower.
Counterclockwise rotations are the norm for ceiling fans. When spinning in this direction, the blades are moving forward, creating a downdraft. This is the circulation you want on hot days, as it moves air downward creating a cooling breeze.
Although you don’t “need” a ceiling fan if you have air conditioning, you can still benefit from ceiling fans according to the U.S. Department of Energy. When used with air conditioning, your ceiling fan can improve room temperature allowing you to set your thermostat up to four degrees higher. This can save an average of 17 cents per hour. If you don’t have air conditioning or want to reduce the costs of running your AC every day in the summer, an AC unit uses a whopping 3 kilowatts of electricity at 36 cents per hour, while a ceiling fan uses just 30 watts at about 1 cent per hour.
This is important because room size impacts the effectiveness of your ceiling fan. The general rule is to use your room’s square footage to determine the fan size you need based on the following:
For rooms up to 400 square feet, you can choose either a 56” or 60” fan or install two 52” fans.
Having the right size fan isn’t enough to ensure you get the best use of it. You also want to consider where you install your fan to improve performance. Here are a few tips to help you choose the best spot for your ceiling fans:
These tips will optimize your ceiling fan’s performance.
As mentioned above, keeping your ceiling fan blades clean improves their effectiveness, but it is important to avoid putting pressure on the blades when cleaning. This can damage the blades or set them off balance. As well, never spray your blades directly with cleaning products as this can get into the mechanisms. Instead, lightly spritz a clean cloth or sponge, and then gently remove dirt. Always allow the blades to dry completely before turning the fan on.
If you would like more tips on improving energy efficiency in Denver, speak to the experts at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical today.
We’re ready to answer your questions or schedule your appointment, call now or book online!
Difficult to reach someone by phone to schedule an evaluation. Requires at least 2 phone calls and takes several minutes. If you aren’t available to answer your phone when they call back, you have to start the procedure all over again. The technician (Chris) was knowledgeable... Read more
Ben was great!! He was thoughtful in listening to are issue with our furnace and corrected the problem with little or no time wasted. He also was a very kind and relatable in explaining the issues and what he did to correct the problem and for that we are thankful to him as... Read more
We had a leak in our 1980’s bathroom that was getting worse by the day. Dylan showed up on time, quickly diagnosed the issue, and had it fixed in no time. He was super professional and respectful of our home. The pricing was fair and transparent, and he explained everything... Read more
Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical is incredible, especially the electrical team. Huge thanks to Jeremiah, Trey, Nick, and Micah, who exceeded all expectations! They completed a large project, including a new main panel, and it's a work of art - the overhead... Read more
I recently had the pleasure of working with David Agosto from Bell for some plumbing issues at my home, and I couldn’t be more impressed with his work. David arrived on time, was extremely professional, and took the time to thoroughly assess the situation. He explained the... Read more
We have used Bell Plumbing throughout the twenty years we have owned our home. From bathroom updates to a complete re-piping of our water lines Bell has always been professional. They recently replaced our furnace and within the first year it had some issues. The technician... Read more
Joined Bell membership a few months ago. Hugh did a great job adding an adjustable wire cover at the electrical panel to help prevent the wires from exposing in an event of ground settling.
This time we gave Bell a call for furnace service. Mike McGowan showed up next day and... Read more
Bell Plumbing and Dylan were great to work with. Prompt, efficient, thorough, and very nice. Dylan identified a couple of code issues that two other companies had missed and explained everything in detail before and after work. I actually felt like I knew something about... Read more
I can’t express enough how much I appreciate the work that Chris completed for a boiler repair. He answered several questions and ensured the repair approach was correct and then far exceeded my expectations. The boiler is working exceptionally well and my customers are very... Read more
Jordan was efficient and executed the repair quickly. His assessment and feedback helped me to know what the scope of the issue was and how the task would be completed. Jordan then went about completing the repair and notified me when he was finished. I appreciate the... Read more
Bell has been awesome to work with. Levi helped us out of an emergency plumbing situation. He thoroughly explained what was needed and followed up the next week for a complimentary camera inspection of the sewer line issue. Fair price. Great people.
Jeremiah was awesome. He explained everything to us in a way we could understand. Very professional and cared about his work and how we were treated. I would highly recommend him and if I need an Electrician again, I know I will ask for him. A great asset to your company.
Jeremiah replaced the electrical panel on our home recently. We have complete confidence in the workmanship, and he was a pleasure to work with. Earlier in the year Bell replaced our water heater, and that was a great experience as well. Everyone we have interacted with at Bell... Read more
Tech arrived on time . Called before for his timeline . Very professional. Clean attire. Respectfull, of me and my house . Got the job done quickly . Explained the procedure to fix the problem. Very clean didn’t make a mess .. highly recommend this tech and Bell plumbing . ... Read more
We had several Electric Vehicle charger installation bids from other companies and Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical worked with us to match the lowest cost bid, as well as installed the EV charger in our home about a month sooner than the other company.
We... Read more
Nick at Bell came to check hot water heaters which were old and needed replacing. Very quick on response/appointment and installed new ones same day. Very professional and Good communication throughout job. Very happy with results
I had 2 (unrelated) issues over the past week: a bathroom faucet/handle dripping/not working properly and a leak under the K sink. The technicians (Alex and Thomas) were both professional, knowledgeable and thorough and fixed both issues. The Bell process is very efficient: a... Read more
I used Bell for a clogged drain. Very professional from beginning to end. The person taking the appointment was thorough, communicating what to expect. The dispatcher provided the appointment details and communicated that a tecnician was available early. The technician (Levi)... Read more
Dan was beyond helpful and knowledgeable! He fixed our problem quickly and even better than it was before the issues began. The best part, though, is that Dan gave us three different options, and the least expensive option ended up working great AND ended up costing less than... Read more
These guys did a great job with a last-minute toilet clog. I really appreciated the demeanor and professional manner of the young man who worked to solve our problem efficiently and with clear explanation. The price was good with the coupon and I would recommend to anyone.
What a great experience! New to the area and picked them based off of their reviews. Exceeded my expectations. Very thorough and professional from start to finish! Troy, the electrician, was so great! Macy who scheduled me was also a stand out. Will be using them for everything... Read more
If anyone is looking to get their furnace fixed or serviced then I would recommend Bell plumbing and heating company. These folks were able to fit me in when they had a full schedule. The technician Cameron White was on time and very professional. These folks definitely have a... Read more
I used Bell's electrical service for the first time today. The service was great. Jeremiah did an outstanding job. He took time to troubleshoot and explained my options. After finishing the repairs Jeremiah took the time to explain how to install and which BR30 recessed light... Read more
Really really happy with Bell. I had a leaking hot water heater, and got multiple estimates. Bell was very professional, gave me a very reasonable estimate and did an outstanding job on the day of my service (Daniel). Professionalism all the way through. High-quality work... Read more
