The Truth about Ceiling Fans in Reverse

Well, folks, guess what?  Summer’s over.  Let that sink in for a second.  No more cookouts and lazy days by the pool. Sorry about that but hey….there’s always next year!  So, along with football season (or, if you’re like me, hockey season) comes the return of colder weather.  As we’ve discussed before (see Strait Talk, February 2015), this is the time of year where your HVLS fans start paying for themselves by lowing your heating bills.  But don’t be like the rest of the uninformed masses that continue to spin their fans in reverse.  Why?  Let’s discuss further...
 
As we learned back in February 2015, the most efficient way to destratify air during the cooler months is to spin your fans slowly in the forward direction.  This will mix the air vertically, giving you a warmer overall temperature profile (remember - HEAT RISES).  So why not use reverse?  Doesn’t it work for home ceiling fans?  The answer is yes, but there’s a reason it works in a home setting: the fan is usually much closer to the walls.  This deflects the air movement off the ceiling, then off the walls and down to ground level.  Also, most house fans do not have a forward setting slow enough to not create a breeze.  So running them in reverse not only mixes the air, it keeps those in the room from getting a chill.  However, the same is not true in a warehouse or other industrial facility.  Since HVLS fans are best used in large open areas, they are generally not near walls.  Therefore, running them in reverse results in lower air mixing efficiency, and can increase the time needed to equalize the temperature from floor to ceiling.  In reality, this means you never need to reverse your fans – simply vary your speeds from season to season.  Turn them up in the summer to create a cooling breeze, and dial them back in the winter to destratify.
 
Looking for more unconventional, yet helpful fan knowledge?  Talk to the fan experts at Patterson today – before the real cold weather sets in!  You could be well on your way to saving 25-30% on your heating costs!*
 
*Actual savings depend on heating costs, size of facility, number of fans, and other factors.

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