Lights and fans

Ceiling Fan Direction: Summer vs. Winter

Which way your ceiling fan should spin each season, how to change it, and how to fix a fan that wobbles or hums.

Most ceiling fans have a little switch that changes which way the blades spin. A lot of people never touch it. Setting the ceiling fan direction right for the season can make your home feel more comfortable, especially during long, hot Georgia summers.

Summer: Counterclockwise

In warm weather, set the fan to spin counterclockwise when you're standing under it looking up. This is the setting on most fans; a few models are reversed, so check your fan's manual if you're unsure.

When it spins this way, the blades push air straight down. That creates a breeze that helps sweat evaporate off your skin, which makes you feel cooler.

Quick check: Stand under the fan on medium or high. If you feel a steady breeze, it's set for summer.

Winter: Clockwise on Low

In cold weather, set the fan to spin clockwise on a low speed.

Warm air rises and collects near the ceiling. Running the fan clockwise on low pulls air up and pushes the warm air gently out toward the walls and back down, without making a chilly breeze. This tends to help most in rooms with high or vaulted ceilings.

Quick check: Standing under it, you should feel little or no breeze.

How to Change the Direction

1. Turn the fan off and wait for the blades to stop completely.
2. Find the switch. On most fans it's a small slide switch on the motor housing, just above the blades or below the light kit.
3. Use a sturdy step ladder. Don't stand on a chair.
4. Flip the switch to the other side.
5. Turn the fan back on and check the direction.

Some newer fans don't have a switch. Instead, a button on the remote or wall control reverses the direction. Check your fan's manual.

Simple Ceiling Fan Upkeep

Clean the blades

Dust builds up on top of the blades, especially with spring pollen. A pillowcase slipped over each blade and pulled back catches the dust without spreading it around the room.

Fix a wobble

A little sway is normal. A big wobble is not. Try these with the power off:

1. Tighten the screws holding each blade to its bracket.
2. Tighten the screws holding the brackets to the motor.
3. Make sure the canopy at the ceiling is snug.
4. Measure from the ceiling to the tip of each blade. If one is off, a bracket may be bent.
5. Use a balancing kit (often included with the fan) to add small weights to the light blade.

Quiet a noisy fan

Clicking or rattling is often a loose screw, a loose light globe, or a loose canopy. Humming can sometimes come from the wall control. Some dimmer switches are not made for fans and can cause humming or damage. Fans need a fan-rated speed control.

Safety Notes

• Turn off the power at the breaker before doing anything beyond flipping the direction switch or cleaning. The wall switch alone doesn't always cut power to every wire in the box.
• Never hang a fan from a regular light fixture box. A fan is heavy and moves. The box has to be rated for a fan, and it needs to be firmly attached to the framing.
• Watch the blade height. Blades should be high enough that people can't reach up and hit them.
• Stop using the fan if it wobbles badly after tightening, makes burning smells, sparks, or the canopy pulls away from the ceiling.

When to Call HLM, and When to Call an Electrician

We handle ceiling fan installation where there's already a working ceiling box with wiring. That includes swapping a light for a fan, putting in a fan-rated box and brace at that spot, balancing, and swapping in a fan-rated wall control on the existing switch.

Call a licensed electrician when:

• There's no wiring at the spot where you want the fan
• You want a new switch run to the fan
• Breakers trip when the fan is on
• You see scorched wires, aluminum wiring, or the wiring looks damaged or very old

We'll always tell you if we open up a box and find something that needs an electrician.

Our guide on replacing a light fixture safely covers more of the safety basics, and the spring home maintenance checklist reminds you when to switch fans to summer mode. For lights, see light fixture installation.

Get a Free Estimate

Thinking about adding a fan or replacing an old wobbly one? Text a photo of the room and ceiling to (706) 594-5049, or use the free estimate form. Pricing depends on the job, and estimates are free.