Ceiling fan winter mode explained

Warm air rises

Heat from a split system, gas heater or wood fire rises and collects at the ceiling. In a room with a high or raked ceiling, the difference between the temperature at head height and up near the ceiling can be noticeable. You end up heating the space above you while your feet stay cold.

A ceiling fan running in winter mode gently pushes that warm air back down the walls to where you're sitting.

What winter mode actually does

In summer mode, the fan blades push air straight down to create a cooling breeze. In winter mode, the fan spins the other way. It pulls air up in the centre of the room and pushes the warm air at the ceiling outwards and down the walls. Because the air is moving slowly and indirectly, you don't feel a draught. The room just feels more evenly warm.

Which way is which depends on the fan model, so rather than worrying about clockwise or anticlockwise, follow the maker's instructions or stand under the fan. If you feel a strong breeze, it's in summer mode.

How to switch it over

On many fans there's a small slide switch on the motor housing. Turn the fan off and let it stop completely before flicking the switch. On DC fans and many newer models, there's a reverse button on the remote or a setting in the app.

Use a low speed

Winter mode works best on the lowest speed. Run it faster and you'll start to feel air movement, which defeats the purpose by making you feel cooler. The aim is to circulate air, not create a breeze.

When it helps most

• Rooms with high or raked ceilings, where lots of heat collects up top.
• Living areas with a split system, wood fire or heater.
• Open-plan spaces where heat tends to pool in one part of the room.

In a small bedroom with a standard ceiling and no heating, the benefit is minimal. Winter mode doesn't create heat on its own, it just moves the heat you've already paid for.

Does it save money

It can help. If the room feels warmer at head height, you may be comfortable with the heater set a degree or two lower. Fans use very little power, especially DC models, so running one on low alongside heating is usually worthwhile. How much you save depends on the room, the insulation and how you heat.

Coastal winters

Winters along the Illawarra coast are mild compared with inland NSW, but the wind off the ocean in July can make homes near the beach in Shellharbour or Gerroa feel cold and damp. Older brick and fibro homes with little insulation lose heat quickly. A fan in winter mode won't fix poor insulation, but it does help heaters work more effectively in those rooms.

Don't forget to switch it back

When the weather warms up again, flip the fan back to summer mode. It's easy to forget, and a fan running in reverse in summer feels like it's barely working.

Other things that help in winter

Close doors to rooms you aren't using, draw curtains at dusk and check that downlights haven't left gaps in your ceiling insulation. Older halogen downlights often had insulation pulled back from them. Switching to IC-rated LEDs, as covered on our lighting page, lets the insulation go back over the top.

Need a fan that can do both

If your current fan has no reverse function, or you'd like a quieter DC model with a remote, see our ceiling fan installs page. If you're renovating, our renovation electrical work can include fan points in every room.

Call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346, and include a photo of your current fan if you have one.