Today's Energy Thought

It's that time of year again... time to adjust the direction of your ceiling fans as we head into the warmer summer months. During cooling season, the blades should be rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. If your fan is spinning clockwise, look for an adjustment switch located on the motor at the center of the fan and slide it in the opposite direction, when the fan is turned off, of course.

The effect of a ceiling fan in the summer months is very similar to what we call a wind chill factor when outdoors in cooler temps. By producing a breeze or wind chill, the downward airflow of a ceiling fan can make a room with a thermostat setting of 78 degrees feel more like 72 degrees. The actual thermostat reading does not change, it does not cool the room, but people in the room will feel the wind chill effect making them more comfortable.