It has become well-known that changing the direction of your ceiling fan at the beginning of the summer and winter months will help improve your heating and cooling circulation and keep costs down, but it's easier said than done. Older model ceiling fans may not have a reverse function and ceiling fans are still sold today without this feature. We've put together a handy guide for you to understand how to locate the switch on the ceiling fan motor (if there is one) and ensure proper rotation of your ceiling fan blades.
Follow the step-by-step guide and video tutorial below to determine if your ceiling fan can be reversed and how to change ceiling fan direction:
- Locating the Ceiling Fan Swtich
- Ceiling Fans with Remote Reverse Control
- Changing Blade Pitch
- Why Do We Reverse Fan Direction?
Ceiling Fan Switch Direction - Up or Down?
Locate the direction switch on the motor housing (in some cases, the switch may be located inside the switch housing or switch cup), and flip the switch in the opposite direction. Directional switches may move vertically (up and down) or horizontally (side to side from left to right).
Note: If you do not find a switch on the motor housing and you do not have a remote, please jump to how to change your blade pitch below.
For vertical direction switches, flip the switch down for downward airflow or flip the switch up for upward airflow.
For horizontal direction switches, flip the switch to the left for downward airflow or flip the switch to the right for upward airflow.
Use the steps below or the video below to change the direction of your ceiling fan:
- Shut off the ceiling fan and wait for the blades to come to a complete stop
- Using a ladder or step stool to reach the motor housing, locate the direction switch
- Flip the switch in the opposite direction
- Step down and turn the ceiling fan back on
- Verify the ceiling fan blades are moving in the right direction
Video Tutorial
Materials
- Step Ladder
Products Used
- For this video, we used a Minka Aire Supra Ceiling Fan.
If the ceiling fan blades are rotating correctly, you should feel a cool downward airflow in the summer. However, you should feel no air movement in the winter. You can reverse the direction of your outdoor ceiling fans, as well as your low profile ceiling fan.
How to Reverse Your Ceiling Fan with a Remote
Reversing your fan using your remote control is pretty simple. View the infographic below for more details.
Reversing the direction of your ceiling fan is a budget-friendly and eco-friendly way to make your home feel warmer in the fall and winter months. An easy way to remember is to reverse your fan during Daylight Savings Time when you reverse your clocks.
What If Your Fan Does Not Reverse?
If you have an older ceiling fan without a reversible motor, you could adjust the blade pitch to reverse the airflow. Adjust the blade pitch to the right to push air down. Adjust the blade pitch to the left to pull air up. Or you could upgrade to a ceiling fan that reverses from the remote!
Why Should We Reverse Fan Direction?
As temperatures drop during the fall and winter months, energy costs begin to rise just as steadily. Call it coincidence. Call it symbiotic. Call it what you will, but the additional energy used to heat a home can quickly add up to a hefty bill. Read our Del Mar Fans & Lighting’s guide to proper ceiling fan direction to see which direction your fan should be going and how ceiling fan direction can save you money on your energy bill.