Make the most of air flow.
In northern Virginia at this time of year, we’re reached the “midseason” point between summer and autumn. That means that some days can still be sweltering, but other days carry a hint of a chill. Right now, navigating the air conditioning settings can be a balancing act! Recently, I learned a simple tip (from my husband — thanks!) to keep the house comfortable amid fluctuating temperatures: know your ceiling fan settings.
Have you ever stood in a room with a ceiling fan whirring but felt like it had no effect? It could be because the setting was off. To make the most of a ceiling fan, try this tiny tip.
This one is so simple but it can be a game changer. Are you ready? Here it is:
To keep a room cool, set the ceiling fan to run counterclockwise.
To keep the room warm, set the ceiling fan to run clockwise.
The trick lies in where the air is being moved. A counterclockwise spin (from the perspective of the floor — that is, while you’re looking up at it) pushes air down to create a windchill effect. A clockwise spin pulls air up, which is what you want when you’d like to keep warm air flowing around on colder days without creating a draft.
This can be a fun thing to do with kids as well. Go into every room that has a ceiling fan and ask them to stand right under the fan, while you stand by the switch or pull the string (or whatever mechanism your fan uses to change settings). Fiddle with the settings and get their reaction. When they feel the breeze blowing down on them, they’ll know that the fan is moving counterclockwise and cooling the room. You can even make it a game by seeing how quickly you can change the fans throughout the house!
We all want our homes to be comfortable places for loved ones to gather and rest. So on days when we don’t want to be adjusting the thermostat all day (or night!), the ceiling fan trick can be helpful to ensure that a room stays cool or cozy.
For more on natural ways to cool the home, see my post on making good use of windows.
Happy homemaking!
