Ceiling Fan Buying Guide

Purchasing a ceiling fan adds beauty, distinction, comfort, and energy savings to your home.

Consumers are no longer content to let their living rooms and family rooms be the only places they enjoy the benefits of ceiling fans. They are adding ceiling fans to kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms. And with UL Damp and UL Wet rated fans even porches, patios, and gazebos are being graced with ceiling fans.

In the pages that follow, you shall discover how ceiling fans work, what you should consider when buying a ceiling fan for your home, where to purchase ceiling fans, and other essential pieces of information. It is a basic guide to ceiling fan purchasing that should arm you with the facts you need to choose the right ceiling fan for any need.

Ceiling Fans and How they Work:
How much cooler will a ceiling fan make your room? Two degrees? Five degrees? Ten?

The answer may surprise you: it is zero. Unlike an air conditioner, a ceiling fan will not lower room temperatures even one degree.

So how does it make a room feel cooler?
You are probably familiar with the idea of "wind chill." That is exactly how ceiling fans work. Instead of actually cooling the air, a ceiling fan creates a gently breeze that makes the room more comfortable. Your ceiling fan creates a fresh, pleasant "wind chill effect" inside your home.

Why not just use an air conditioner? Styling and cost. A ceiling fan will accentuate your style, and beautify your decor. More important, ceiling fans are incredibly efficient. While air conditioners consume a great deal of energy, ceiling fans use only about as much energy as a 100 Watt light bulb, even on its highest setting.

Studies show that by setting thermostats higher, and using ceiling fans, you can save as much as 40% on summer cooling bills without sacrificing room comfort. This means that instead of setting your thermostat at 72 degrees, you can set it six to ten degrees higher and the room will feel just as cool.

USE A CEILING FAN IN THE Winter?
Yes, because a ceiling fan can help make your home more comfortable and energy efficient in the winter, also.

If you live in a two-story home, you have probably noticed that, in the winter, it is usually warmer upstairs than downstairs. It is a fact of physics that warm air rises, which means that some of the warmest air in your home is trapped near the ceiling.

But a ceiling fan can move that warm air back to the center of the room. To do so, reverse the direction of the ceiling fan. The fan will push the warm air down from the ceiling, making your home feel warmer and more comfortable. And if you run the fan at its lowest speed, you will avoid creating a "wind chill", something you definitely do not want in the winter.

A ceiling fan can also help you reclaim heating dollars. Studies show that homeowners who use ceiling fans in the winter can save up to 10% on their heating bills all winter long.

When you are comparing ceiling fans, the motor is the very first component you should consider. Why? Because the motor is the heart of any fan. It turns the blades that move the air. It the part of the fan that does all the work.

Poor motor design can create most of the problems that are associated with ceiling fans. If the fan has an annoying click, buzz, or hum during operation, the motor is the most likely culprit.

A motor that works too hard will burn itself out. A motor that is too powerful will be inefficient, wasting energy. Ideally, a ceiling fan should be designed to strike a balance between power and efficiency, ensuring that the blades are the proper pitch to move large amounts of air.

CEILING FAN Blades
A fan's blades are another of its most important components. They can complement a room's decor, like fine furniture does, but they must also perform effectively. The quality you want in a blade is not merely cosmetic.

The amount of air movement from a ceiling fan depends on the blade pitch (the angle of the blade). Look for a blade pitch of at least 14 degrees, the pitch of most fan blades, which is excellent for maximum air movement efficiency.

Blade construction is also important. Some fan companies use cheap blades constructed of particle board or even printed paper. And, contrary to what you might expect, solid wood blades are not the answer, as they can warp over time and lead to noise and wobble.

Companies such as Casablanca has solved this problem by using a multi-layer hardwood veneer or painted blade finish. This furniture-quality veneer ensures maximum beauty, while the multi-layer approach ensures solid performance.

Lighting
Most ceiling fans are purchased to replace existing light fixtures. Even if you are putting a ceiling fan in a new home or on a ceiling where a light fixture did not exist before, you will probably want lighting with your fan.

Some ceiling fans are designed with built-in (integrated) lighting. Others are available with light fixtures as an option.

Be sure you choose lighting that will enhance your room decor and meet your lighting needs. Different rooms have different light requirements. You probably want bright lighting for your kitchen and bathrooms. In dining rooms, dens, and bedrooms, you may want the lighting to be more subtle and subdued. In fact, you may want to put the fan lights on a dimmer switch so you can adjust the brightness to fit your mood. Many fixtures offer halogen lighting, for a bright, natural light source.

Styling
Ceiling Fan companies now offer an incredibly broad assortment of fan and blade finishes to complement and enhance any room decor. From the most refined, traditional stylings to current trends of modern decorating, there are new finishes and fan styles to match your needs.

In general, you want a ceiling fan that is pleasing to the eye, one that works with your decor. To help you focus on your individual style, here are a few questions:

• What room will the fan be used in?
• What are the dimensions of your room?
• What is the height of the room's ceiling?
• What blade and fan finishes will complement your decor?
• Do you want lighting integrated into the fan, or would you like to choose fixtures and glass shades separately?
• What is the room's electrical wiring?

Answering these questions should help you focus more clearly on your options when you start looking at ceiling fans.

Room function:
You probably would not want the same fan in your living room as you would want in your kitchen or your bathroom or your five-year-old's bedroom. And while a large part of this consideration is a matter of style, it is also a matter of functionality.

For example, ceiling fans that are UL-listed for Damp locations, meaning they will operate safely and dependably in bathrooms, kitchens, and other damp areas. There are also fans that are UL-listed for Wet locations, so that you can even install a ceiling fan in a backyard gazebo.

Room SIZE
A fan that is too big for your room may look awkward. A fan that is too small probably will not move enough air. Blade span is the key. Here are some basic recommendations:

• For rooms up to 225 square feet (15' x 15') and larger, use a fan with a blade span of 50", 52", 54", or 56".
• In rooms up to 144 square feet (12' x 12') we recommend fans with blade spans of 42" or 44".
• Smaller rooms up to 64 square feet (8' x 8') should use a fan with a 32" blade span.

Ceiling height is also an important consideration. For safety reasons, fans blades must be a minimum of seven feet above the floor. A blade height of eight to nine feet above the floor will provide the most efficient cooling effect.

Most ceiling fans come with a standard downrod for use with eight-foot ceilings, though some fans do require a nine or ten foot ceiling to hang properly. To allow your ceiling fan to hang at a level that is most appealing and most appropriate for optimum performance, a selection of extension downrods is available. These downrods may be used when hanging a ceiling fan on either flat or sloped ceilings, and are polished or painted to match the finish of the fan motors.

There are also special adaptors available for fan installations on sloped ceilings and low ceilings.

Installation
Most ceiling fans are made to be installed easily in about an hour. If you have ever installed a light fixture, installing a ceiling fan should be just as easy. Fans are usually packed with easy to follow, step-by-step instructions that make installation fast and simple.

If you are replacing a light fixture with your ceiling fan, you should be able to do the installation without a problem. Be sure you begin with a UL-recommended or approved junction box for use with ceiling fans. If the fan is going in a new location, you may need to have an electrician install a UL-approved junction box for use with ceiling fans to give you electrical access.

Controls
Fan controls are among your most important, and most frequently overlooked, buying considerations. They can make the difference between a fan that is merely functional and a fan that offers a world of convenience, energy efficiency, and even home security advantages.

The most basic fan controls are a pull chain on the fan that varies the fan speed, and a switch on the fan that controls the blade direction. This is all many homeowners want to control their ceiling fan. You may also purchase a variety of Optional Controls to upgrade Three-Speed pull-chain models for your convenience.

Brand Reputation:
It is certainly intangible. But it is important, nevertheless.

Just as the manufacturer's reputation is important when you buy a car, a television set, or a computer, it is also important when you purchase a ceiling fan. Buy a brand you know, a brand you trust, and a brand that offers excellent warranties backed by a network of service centers. Buy from a company you are confident will be around to serve you if ever you have the need.

Price
The prices of ceiling fans can vary, so how do you choose? Consider this: A quality ceiling fan is like a piece of fine furniture. It is a lifetime addition to your home's beauty and value. Cheap ceiling fans will wobble, click, and hum over time. They will not move air in your home efficiently or effectively. And they are likely to fail within a few years, meaning you will have to replace them.

When you look at it that way, buying a "bargain" ceiling fan is not much of a bargain.