Ceiling fans save you energy in both summer and winter. In summer, running a ceiling fan creates "wind-chill" on your skin. If run counter-clockwise (to avoid pulling warm air down from the ceiling), it lowers the temperature for occupants by one or two degrees. These degrees can be "bought" for less energy than with an air conditioner. And, of course, as the fan cools you rather than the air, it need only be run when you're in the room.

In the winter, if you reverse the direction so that the blades spin clockwise, the fan will pull warm air from the ceiling down into the room, again, creating savings on your energy bills. Changing the direction of spin is a matter of pushing a button.