Last winter was especially long, cold and snowy. There were constantly blizzard warnings in the forecast, school closings and driving bans due to dangerous road conditions. We set records for low temperatures, wind chill and snow accumulation. The temperature remained below freezing for more than six months. We endured a week of negative digits and the temperature dropped all the way down to negative twenty-six degrees. The furnace ran just about non stop and struggled to keep up. I raised the thermostat setting several times and worried about malfunction and the potential of freezing water pipes. My energy bills were huge. Toward the end of the winter, I needed to climb up a ladder to replace a lightbulb in a ceiling fixture. The difference in temperature from floor to ceiling was significant. I went from feeling a bit chilly to sweating. The heat flowing from the supply vents was definitely rising straight up and getting trapped near the ceiling. The furnace was struggling to match the setting on a thermostat because the majority of heat was getting wasted. I decided to install ceiling fans. I discovered that ceiling fans are available in a huge selection of sizes, styles and price ranges. There are models that include LED lighting, remote controls and especially smooth and quiet operation. My husband and I were able to complete the installation as a DIY project. In the winter, the fans help to redistribute the warm air and improve comfort. There is less demand on the furnace. In the summer, we reverse the rotation of the fan blades to create a cooling effect.