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 Monte Carlo and Sea Gull 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 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.
| Some manufacturers 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:
| Room Size |
Fan Size |
| 64 square-feet or smaller |
32-inch or smaller |
| 100 square-feet or smaller |
34-inch or 36-inch |
| 144 square-feet or smaller |
38-inch to 42-inch |
| 225 square-feet |
44-inch to 46-inch |
| 400 square-feet |
48-inch to 54-inch |
| 485 square-feet |
56-inch |
| 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.
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