As temperatures drop, you may be feeling the urge to crank up the heat in your home. But did you know there's a simple hack to keep your space warm and cozy without racking up a hefty energy bill or emitting excess carbon?
It all comes down to a flip of a switch.
The scoop
In a recent Instagram reel, the nonprofit Sustainability Matters (@sustainabilitymattersva) shared this nifty trick.
"All ceiling fans should have a switch attached to them which controls which direction the blades turn, which in turn controls what direction the air flows," the video explains.
During the summer months, most ceiling fans are set to spin counterclockwise, creating a downdraft of air simulating a breeze. But when winter rolls around, flipping the switch to make the blades rotate clockwise generates an updraft instead. This circulates the warmer air that naturally rises to the ceiling back down and throughout the room.
How it's helping
Making this quick switch can increase the average temperature of your space while decreasing the burden on your heating system.
Not only does this mean a cozier home for you, but it also translates to lower energy bills. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that each degree you lower your thermostat can slash your energy costs by 1–3%.
What's more, properly using your ceiling fan in the winter reduces your overall carbon footprint. Spinning a fan requires far less energy than blasting the furnace or relying on other heating sources that are powered by dirty energy.
Companies like WattBuy can help you find ways to trim your bill and reduce your carbon footprint. By making small changes to conserve energy at home, you can help keep harmful pollution out of our atmosphere.
What everyone's saying
The clever tip is generating plenty of buzz on social media.
Instagram users left comments like "Holy s*** no wonder my room was so hot during the summer" and "Wow I was today years old when I learned that. Lol ... looking at this video while looking up at my ceiling fan."
Others tagged friends and family, urging them to give the hack a whirl, too.
So next time you're tempted to bump up the thermostat a few notches, try reaching for the ceiling fan switch instead. Your wallet (and the planet) will thank you.
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