Are you looking to replace the aging light fixtures found throughout your home with an updated, multi-functional alternative? You may want to consider all the wonderful advantages ceiling fans have to offer.

And we’re not just talking about their aesthetically pleasing ambiance. Ceiling fans are a practical, economical solution to reducing your cooling needs in the summer. By creating a wind chill effect, using ceiling fans throughout your home can keep you and your family comfortable enough to lower your thermostat temperature by 4-7 degrees F, saving you up to 30 percent on cooling costs. Still on the fence? As an added bonus, the wind generated by ceiling fans also makes it more difficult for pests to fly, keeping summer pests at bay. How’s that for cool?

Say what? That’s right. Change the settings on your ceiling fans to spin clockwise, rather than their counterclockwise motion during the summer, and you’re in business! A clockwise motion forces air up, to the outer edges of the room, then down along walls to the floor, where it travels back to the center, once again rising. This motion helps equally distribute all that nice heated air from your HVAC system throughout your home, saving you much needed heating dollars.

Stand under your fan, and note the direction in which the blades rotate. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter which direction you face.) Remember, you want your blades to spin counterclockwise in the summer, clockwise in the winter. Wrong direction? Turn off the fan and locate the switch on the fan’s base, then simply flick the switch to the opposite direction. Done!

Choose the right blade size.

Want a cooling effect that doesn’t ruffle papers or other items in your home? Opt for larger blade sizes. They offer comparable cooling at a lower velocity than smaller blades. Don’t worry about the number of blades. This will not affect performance.

Properly size and locate fans.

Fans should be installed 7-9 feet above floors, 10-12 inches below ceilings and at least 18-24 inches from walls. Opt for 52-inch fans for rooms up to 400 square feet, 44-inch fans up to 225 square feet, and 42-inch fans up to 144 square feet. Rooms longer than 18 feet need multiple fans.

Find the right features.

Selecting easy-to-use models will encourage frequent fan use and the subsequent lowering of energy costs. You should carefully consider features and usage needs such as light intensity, fan speeds, noise level during operation, pull chains, and remote controls.

Remember, you get what you pay for.

Splurging a little on ceiling fans will earn you a model with quieter, smoother operation, more fan speeds, less issues, and longer warranty than bargain basement alternatives.

Ensure safe installation.

Professional installation as recommended by the manufacturer is essential to fan life, warranty, and most importantly, the safety of you and your family. Fans can weigh as much as 50 pounds! Safe installation should include an appropriate UL-listed electrical box made specifically for use with ceiling fans, secure mounting to a ceiling joist (or the use of a mounting bracket), and proper alignment and balancing.

Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms. Though they can help you save energy, they use it as well, so be sure to turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room to prevent wasted energy dollars. Don’t want to keep track? You may want to consider adding a motion sensor.