Making your home cozy in the winter is getting more difficult as energy prices rise. But this hack could help you save money and keep your home warmer over the next few months.
The scoop
TikTok user Aubrey (@aubreyr18) shared how ceiling fans can help your home stay warm.
@aubreyr18 Switch the way your fan spins! It'll keep the heat from rising so much and it'll help your house to stay warmer. 🙌🏼 • • #Friendlyreminder #Winter #Tips #Roadto15k #Savingmoney ♬ Energy Vampires by shanin blake - 🍄 shanin blake 🍄
Text in the video reads, "Friendly reminder with winter coming — before you turn your heat on. Clean your ceiling fans & switch them to winter mode."
The video shows Aubrey and one of her kids cleaning the ceiling fan in their kitchen. They use a big, circular brush to clean the blades together. About 20 seconds in, a small plume of dust scatters into the air.
How it's helping
Both parts of this hack are important. Removing that layer of dust on your fan's blades can make them more efficient. And switching the direction in which your fan spins means that the air will circulate properly for the season.
The Spruce even recommends light dusting every two weeks and deeper cleaning about every three months. You don't need a fan-specific brush like Aubrey's either. A cleaning rag and a step stool can help you clean your fan with ease.
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Glenn Gault, CEO of Gault Heating & Cooling, told Southern Living that having your fan run clockwise creates a downward draft. That keeps heat down, where it can warm you and the people you live with.
Gault also recommended having your fan run as slowly as possible. Anything higher than the fan's lowest setting could actually make the room too cold. Only use it when someone's in a room as well, or you could be wasting your home's energy.
There should be a switch on the side of your fan to change its direction. If it's remote-controlled, there may be a button on the remote. Either way, consult your fan's instructions and make sure it's off before you change how it spins.
What everyone's saying
People were pleased to learn about this hack in Aubrey's comment section.
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How do you currently heat your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Oil 🛢️ One person said, "Excuse me what? There are MODES?"
"This is so good to know!" another commenter exclaimed.
"And don't forget to change furnace filters," a third TikTok user added. "Mine is always so gross."
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