How Every Homeowner In Illinois Can Save Money By Adjusting Their Ceiling Fans Now
Summer is here and the heat is on the way. Over Memorial Day weekend the temps will be in the mid-80s across Illinois and Iowa. By June 1 those temps will be over 90.
So we'll all start looking for ways to stay cool. Of course, the top way to keep your house cool is with AC. But to keep yourself feeling cool, and maybe not have the AC running overtime, a simple trick with your ceiling fans can help.
Here Comes The Heat for Illinois
So you like the heat? Then you are in luck. Cause it's coming in fast to start the summer.
Memorial Day Weekend (May 27-May 29) temps will top out at 87 with lows staying below 60. So at least it's cooling off at night.
But then the first week of June will turn on the oven with high temperatures in the low 90s all week. And the low temperature will fall into the mid-60s. That is not low enough or long enough to really cool down your house. This means the AC will be working overtime to keep you cool.
So any bit of extra breeze in the house can help you take the AC from 72-74 and save you a little money.
One Simple Trick To Your Ceiling Fan Can Save You Money
Most rooms in your house probably have ceiling fans. Definitely bedrooms. How do you sleep without one on all year? Living rooms. And even bathrooms and kitchens may have that breeze through your home. But what direction should it spin and does it matter? Yes, it does.
During the warm summer months, your ceiling fan blades should be set to spin counterclockwise. This will push the air down and give you the cool breeze you are looking for.
Then just remember when it gets cold (but you still need that fan on to sleep) to change the fans back to clockwise. This will draw the room air up towards the ceiling and force the warm air down.
So how do you get this done? For most ceiling fans it's very simple. First, make sure the fan is off. Don't want to take a blade to the head. Next, find the switch at the base or motor of the fan and flip it. This will cause your fan to go in one direction or the other. Some modern fans will have this control on a remote.
Now as you are doing this you might be looking at it spin thinking...is this clockwise? When the blades are spinning that fast it can get confusing. Put it on slow, watch it like you do a clock and you'll get that air flowing in the right direction to stay cooler this summer. Just be sure to flip it back this winter.