Ceiling fans reversed?

[Quentin2]

just wondering if some of you run your ceiling fans in reverse in the winter. I read that on a manual years ago on a fan I installed and for the most part have been doing that ever since. Can't say that I notice a difference though.

 

[Smoke Stack]

Yes, on the slowest speed. I notice a big difference. It draws the cold air up from the floor and displaces the warm air across the ceiling and then down the walls. This is where curtains can act as a chimney and remove heat as well.

 

[F4jock]

Tried it. No discernable results. Went back to the standard way.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Yep. Up n slow in the stove room. In my particular lay out, really evens out the heat and moves it through a big cased opening into the rest of the house. Blowing down creates a direct draft (in my particular layout, both stoves) and makes it feel a bit cooler.
But I do think it's very dependent on the individual layout of the room/house.

 

[prezes13]

I run my in reverse too. On the slowest speed but it's still too fast.

 

[weatherguy]

I noticed a huge difference when I reversed mine, I have vaulted ceilings and it used to get really warm at the top, now that warm air gets mixed.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I run the fan so it blows the warm air down toward the stove ,then it will go out in all directions from the stovetop.

 

[NJ_Burner08002]

I had tried both. My ceilings are 8 ft. Clockwise is for air distribution and counter is for making one room hot. I run it clockwise and it heats 3rooms for me.

 

[Mwinder98]

Big difference in my house, makes for a more even heat when in reverse, I get "hot" spots when I run it normal.

 

[DanCorcoran]

As I understand the theory, there are two reasons to blow from floor to ceiling in winter (i.e., reversing the fan):

a) it's more efficient to move dense cooler air (from the ground) than to move less dense warm air from the ceiling;
b) when the air is blowing on you (as when it's blowing down from the fan in the middle of the room),the moving air causes evaporative cooling of your skin, making it feel cooler. This is true unless you spend your time against the walls, where the air is moving down from above when the fan is reversed.

I keep mine reversed in winter, but just having a fan on is better, regardless of direction, just to keep all the heat from accumulating at the ceiling.

 

[DougA]

Whatever works. Dan has the most valid point in part 'b'. Anytime air is blowing on you, you feel cooler. If you can't reverse your fan easily (I can't) just turn it on med. for a few minutes every hour and the air will pretty well be evened out.