Warning: This is NOT a plumbing tip!
Nope... not a plumbing fixture! But knowing which way to run your fan can save you energy year round. But as Olympia area plumbers, we also know a thing or two about other home maintenance tips. When we come across things that can help our plumbing customers, whether or not it's related to their toilets and faucets, we try to pass them along.
Here's a common question that many people have: If you have ceiling fans, you can help circulate air through your house to save energy on heating and cooling. But which way should you run the fans, clockwise or counter-clockwise?
The answer depends on the season.
A trick that can help you to remember: run your fan in the opposite way you adjust your clock for daylight savings time. When you "fall back"(counter-clockwise), change your fan to clockwise for the heating season. This draws cold air up to the ceiling and circulates warm air downward.
(As a side note, this is right around the same time you should have us purge your irrigation system, and also when you should put insulation covers on your outdoor spigots.)
When you "spring forward" (clockwise), change the fans to counter-clockwise for the summer. This will push air downward, making you feel cooler.
Changing the directions of your fans, "like clockwork," will keep you more comfortable year round, and also save you money on heating and cooling.
