Which Way Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn in Summer?

Article From HouseLogic.com
By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon
Published: June 28, 2012
Updated on March 12, 2025

The wrong direction could make you even hotter.

Most fans are reversible: One direction pushes air down, creating a nice summer breeze; the other direction sucks air up, helping you distribute heat in winter. There's normally a switch on the motor to change the fan's direction.

Is Your Fan Turning in the Right Direction for Summer?

Image: Michael Spreitzer & HouseLogic

• Stand beneath the running fan, and if you feel a cooling breeze, it's turning correctly.
• If not, change directions, usually by flicking a switch on the fan's base.

Typically, it's counterclockwise or left for summer and clockwise for winter, but the best method is to follow the steps above.

Funny note: We read about a clever person who used bubbles to see which direction his fan was blowing.

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