Feeling the heat right now? We sure are. Before you turn down the A/C another few degrees (if you even have air conditioning), consider a ceiling fan. Here's a cheat sheet that shows you how to find the right one that fits your space.
The right ceiling fan can make your room feel up to 8 degrees cooler than it actually is. It's called the "wind chill effect," and it makes you feel cooler by accelerating the evaporation of perspiration on your skin.
So what is the "right" fan for your room? The biggest one that fits the space. You want a fan that's going to move the most air around with the least amount of effort, and a fan with a larger diameter can move more air than a smaller one at the same speed.
Here are some guidelines for fan sizes based on room size from the American Lighting Association:
The moral of the story? Ceiling fans may be unsightly to most. But if you're serious about cooling down and saving dough, you need to go big.
Read More: American Lighting Association
MORE ON CEILING FANS FROM APARTMENT THERAPY:
• Simple & Smart: 3 Ceiling Fan Tips
• Ceiling Fans in Disguise
• How To: Ceiling Fan Refashion
(Images: 1. Tara Bellucci / Clytie & Claudia's Storied Pieces House Tour, 2. Shutterstock)
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Anyone have recommendations for plug in fans? We can't have a ceiling fan (and I don't like them) but we need moving air because it gets too warm.
Another moral to this story is to make sure you get a fan with a down rod. Our house came with a fan in the master bedroom and is set flush in combination with a slanted ceiling! It's a phenomenon - it's attached to the ceiling and it spins but the lack of air between it and the ceiling means it has ZERO effect.
In preparation for the Toronto heat wave, I've bought a new fan and a down rod to fix the old one :)
I just love the turquoise ceiling fan!
WOW This is very helpful! Thanks AT!!
Hmm, I wonder what is above my dropped ceiling... this might work if I raise my ceiling...
Just don't get a ceiling fan with a light it makes them noisey and give off very unflattering light. Only run them on low. I've had mine on and on low for about five years. I never turn it off if always feels great.
We have learned the hard way that not all ceiling fans are created equal and there is so much more to consider than just the size of the fan itself. Do you need a breeze throughout an entire room, or are you looking for maximum impact over one specific area, such as a bed/couch/table? Pay attention to blade pitch, motor size, and the CFM listing on each fan you consider. We learned what to look for when buying a ceiling fan by reading the following:
http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/bestfans.asp
We definitely made concessions when it came to buying the perfect fans for our house, including price point and aesthetics, but it was definitely worth it. We live in Texas, set our AC no lower than 78 even on 110 degree days and have ceiling fans running almost nonstop in every room. We stay very cool!
I wish there were more options in ceiling fan designs. No offense to anyone else's taste, but I hate the look of most ceiling fans (especially the kind shown in the picture above with lights). To me, most fans have a bit too much going on, and tend to look cheaply made, and the lines of the blades and housing are not coordinated for the lines of most architecture (unless your house is a Victorian or a Mediterranean style).
I am seeking something industrial/modern, plain and simple, in matte black, less than 42". Been looking for 2 years. If anyone has a link to a good fan, please share. Nothing from BigAssFans - those guys slap a logo on every surface of their fans - hate that.
Ceiling fans are HORRID, UGLY, DIRTY things. If my life didn't depend on them them half of the year I'd NEVER have'em.
If you have standard height ceilings watch out for downrods! Two men in my house are 6'6" and have lived in a bedroom that had a ceiling fan with light that was too low. Stretching and gesturing put them in danger of getting hit, and hats have gotten knocked off. We didn't realize the problem when the fan was installed, the men were boys at the time!
I'm surprised by all the negative comments about ceiling fans. I love my ceiling fans, can't imagine life without them.
We recently changed out an old ceiling fan for something less ornate: http://www.amazon.com/Monte-Carlo-5DI52BKD-L-52-Inch-5-Blade/dp/B0038KY3V6/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1341166599&sr=8-9&keywords=monte+carlo+ceiling+fan I couldn't be happier with it. I nearly replaced the old fan with a chandelier instead because I really do love the dramatic effect a chandelier can have on a room, but I opted for another ceiling fan after all. After the unusually hot weather we've been having the last several months, I am SO glad I went with the fan.
Sorry for the unnecessary italics. Not sure what happened there.
Hoew do you guys find this fan – looks pretty unique to me since it is not a common celing but a stand type instead. Its speed seems to be shiftably adjustable although I don't know whether it has passed UL-cerfification (safety tag-stuff...)
www.archetypen.ch
...curious about your comments
Exhale Fan - Bladeless ceiling fan.
This fan would be great for apartment living with its low profile flush mount design and uniform airflow.
Check it out at www.exhalefans.com and remember to like us on Facebook.