Ceiling fans can be a great addition to any home or room. Ceiling fans can provide
a room with comfortable air movement, appropriate lighting, and a decorative touch.
Choosing the proper ceiling fan or fans for your home is an important decision.
This guide will help you understand the way ceiling fans work and the different
styles and options available.
The primary purpose for a ceiling fan is to provide ventilation and improved air
circulation throughout a room. Proper air circulation is beneficial because it can
improve the effectiveness of your home cooling system during warm weather and your
home heating system during cold weather.
For cooling purposes, the breeze created by the ceiling fan will bring the cool
air to you and create a "wind chill". The "wind chill" will make your environment
seem cooler than the actual temperature of your home. Therefore, you can set your
thermostat at a higher temperature in the warm summer months for energy savings
and still remain comfortable.
Our grade school science classes taught us that light warm air rises above cold
dense air. For heating purposes, the ceiling fan will circulate the air to bring
the warm air down from the ceiling so that you can enjoy it in your living space.
Therefore, you can set your thermostat at a lower temperature in the winter for
energy savings.
There are basically three major ceiling fan styles: traditional hanging propeller
ceiling fans, directional ceiling fans, and rotational ceiling fans.
Traditional Hanging Propeller Ceiling Fans
The traditional hanging propeller ceiling fan is what people normally think of as
a ceiling fan. The fan hangs perpendicular from the ceiling and the blade rotation
is parallel to the floor. There are hundreds of these ceiling fans in various finishes,
blade designs, blade quantities and lighting fixture options to fit every home décor,
room size, and room function. Basic traditional ceiling fans are typically the least
expensive of all three ceiling fan styles.
Popular brands include
Casablanca,
Hunter, and
Progress Lighting.
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Directional Ceiling Fans
Like the traditional propeller ceiling fans, directional ceiling fans hang from
the ceiling. The difference between these ceiling fans is that directional fans
have the capability of being manipulated to hang at a particular angle to better
ventilate a particular area rather than an entire room. These fans are desirable
when only one area of a room requires additional ventilation and no additional lighting.
An available model of directional ceiling fan is the
Bianca Directional Ceiling Fan by the Matthews Fan Company.
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Rotational Ceiling Fan
A rotational ceiling fan is a combination of the first two styles of ceiling fans:
traditional propeller ceiling fan and directional ceiling fan. Rotational ceiling
fans are normally provided with one or two sets of propellers that rotate independently.
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Each set of propellers is provided with its own motor which makes a complete fan.
The rotational fan in the photo above is provided with two sets of propellers (or
fans). The fans are attached to a horizontal support rod which rotates on a vertical
axis. As the propellers turn, the horizontal support rod turns. The position of
each fan motor housing can be adjusted to increase or decrease its angle to the
horizontal support rod. The entire unit is designed so that horizontal support rod
will turn faster as the fan motor angle is increased. Ultimately, the axial rotation
speed about the vertical support bar is dependant upon the fan motor speed and the
fan motor angle to the horizontal support rod.
Rotational ceiling fans are claimed to circulate air more efficiently for heating
and cooling purposes than the traditional propeller ceiling fans. Rotational ceiling
fans also tend to be more expensive than traditional propeller ceiling fans.
Available models of rotational fans are the Duplo-Dinamico and the Vent-Bettina
by the
Matthews Fan Company.
Ceiling Fan Features to Consider
Lighting
With the exception of directional ceiling fans, most ceiling fans can be provided
with integral lighting fixtures or lighting kits. Ceiling fans can incorporate lighting
fixtures with a single bulb or multiple bulbs and lighting can be directional (up,
down, and/or adjustable) or simply decorative.
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Some manufacturers, such as Casablanca, design their fans to be part of a series
of lighting fixtures (with the same decorative features) so that you can decorate
a room or your entire home using the same lighting fixture theme.
When choosing a fan with an integral lighting fixture or lighting fixture option,
take into consideration the use of the space where the fan will be located and the
level of lighting required. For instance, bright lighting is usually essential for
a kitchen or bathroom, whereas low lighting or dimmed lighting is desired in a
bedroom. Some fans are even designed to use halogen bulbs for bright, natural lighting.
Controls
The original and traditional ceiling fan controls have been pull chains, light switches,
and fan direction switches for manual and local control. These features are still
popular and available on ceiling fans. The industry is now offering hand-held or
wall-mounted remote control that can allow you to adjust the fan speed, fan direction,
and/or the light level. Some remote control packages allow multiple fans to be controlled
from a single controller. Computerized controllers can also be purchased to automatically
adjust the fan speed based on the time of day or night and cooling or heating requirements.
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Consider special fan controls before purchasing your fan to make sure that the controls
you require are compatible with the fan that you purchase.
Decorative Features
Ceiling fans can be purchased to fit any designer's needs. Fans can be purchased
with very basic designs or very elaborate detail. Many ceiling fans are designed
to match a specific theme such as: Contemporary, Victorian, Sports, Arts and Crafts,
and many more.
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Ceiling fans can be provided in several finish types including decorative
metal finishes (chrome, pewter, brass, bronze, gold, antique and more) and many
types of wood (cherry, oak, teak, pine, etc.) and various painted finishes in every
color of the rainbow. For assurance that your ceiling fan finish will be durable,
look for a guarantee or claim that the ceiling fan manufacturer uses rust, scratch,
and tarnish resistant finishes.
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Some manufacturers such as Hunter and Casablanca give you the option to fit your
ceiling fan with special fan blades and lighting fixtures for a nearly custom design
that will fit your style perfectly. Many different types of ceiling fan blades are
available in different finishes and designs that are made to resemble anything imaginable
such as: palm fronds, boat sails, and baseball bats. Some manufacturers are even
expanding their blade horizons to include non-traditional materials such as: rattan,
fabric, bamboo, and beadboard.
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Fan Size
Traditional ceiling fan sizes are measured from the tip of one blade to the tip
of the blade opposite it (or the diameter of the fan from blade tip to blade tip.
A traditional ceiling fan should be sized based on the size of the room (or the
portion of the room) that it will serve. Therefore, a small ceiling fan should be
chosen for a small room. Following are some recommendations for approximate ceiling
fan sizing:
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Room Size |
Fan Size |
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64 square-feet or smaller |
32-inch or smaller |
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100 square-feet or smaller
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34-inch or 36-inch |
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144 square-feet or smaller |
38-inch to 42-inch |
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225 square-feet |
44-inch to 46-inch |
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400 square-feet |
48-inch to 54-inch |
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485 square-feet |
56-inch |
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600 square-feet |
58-inch to 60-inch |
Rotational ceiling fan assembly sizes are measured from the tip of the blade on
the first fan to the tip of the blade on the second fan (where the first fan is
opposite the second fan on the horizontal support rod). In the case of the overall
rotational ceiling fan having only one fan (rather than two), the fan is measured
from the tip of the blade on the one fan to the tip of the horizontal support rod
opposite the fan.
Directional ceiling fans are measured across the diameter of the fan propeller or
from blade tip to blade tip.
Ceiling Height and Slope
Before purchasing your ceiling fan, take into consideration your ceiling height
and slope (or angle). Most manufacturers recommend that ceiling fan blades be positioned
7 to 8-feet above the floor for the most effectiveness and best possible creature
comfort. Low-profile ceiling fans are available for installations where the ceiling
is only 8-feet tall or shorter so that the maximum clearance between the blades
and the floor can be maintained. If your ceiling is more than 9-feet tall, optional
extension down rods can be purchased for mounting some ceiling fans so that the
blades remain the optimal distance from the floor.
If the ceiling where your fan will be mounted is sloped (or angled) rather than
flat, special mounting systems are available for ceiling fans to enable the fan
to be installed so that the blade rotation is parallel to the floor rather than
to the ceiling.
All extension down rods and mounting systems should be designed to keep the ceiling
fan unit from wobbling or vibrating.
Location
Ceiling fans have traditionally been designed for indoor dry locations; however,
people are now installing ceiling fans in outdoor locations and places with a considerable
amount of humidity. If you are installing a ceiling fan outdoors, consider a fan
with a UL (Underwriter's Laboratory) listing specifically for outdoor (wet) or damp
locations. If your fan will be in an environment with a considerable amount of humidity
(like a bathroom, kitchen, or indoor pool), make sure that the materials of construction
prohibit rust formation and mold growth. Keep in mind that painted steel may not
be rust resistant if the unit was not finished properly and if the paint becomes
scratched or marred.