The seasons are quickly changing, but the air is still moving on through the house and it is that time of year that we crank the windows open and enjoy the fresh scent of fall, like the cut grass, and the smell of wet leaves. There is nothing like hearing the birds chirp, the bees buzzing and watching animals from inside, and something about having the windows open rather than running the air-conditioner is just so appealing. I get inspired when the windows are open, I clean up the ledges a bit more and wipe the screens and really just clean more because something is fresher about the windows being opened. I do have a little help though to keep the house cooler in the Spring and Summer, while helping me keep the rooms warmer in the Fall and Winter: A Ceiling Fan in every room. Ceiling fans are great ways to keep the air moving in your rooms, while circulating the cool or warm air or just the fresh air that is already in the room. Some fans even illuminate a room, therefore, making a fan in a room a very good investment as it multi-tasks and comforts! Easily live DIY out loud when you choose a fan that is right for a room in your home, let’s look at the who, what, where and how’s of Ceiling Fans.
WHO
There sure are a lot of brands to choose from when you go to purchase a Ceiling Fan. Some not so reputable, some that wobble as they spin, and some that should just not be allowed to make it to the market place, but they do. As for myself, I prefer a reputable brand, those that have been around for a while, and generally not the el-cheapo models. A great functioning fan will go the long mile and help save me money on both heating and cooling during every month of the year so no skimping here. Brand is your own personal preference, but do not buy the cheap fans as they are often dangerous.
CEILING FAN FASHION
This is where I go ‘girl’ on you because yes there is such a thing as ceiling fan fashion but you might call it stylish decor. In my world, the ceiling fan should showcase the room, it becomes a central focus, where the eye gravitates too, especially if you have a light kit on the ceiling fan and it is illuminating a room. A wrong color choice will make it stand out like putting athletic shoes on with a business suit; it will just be all wrong. Coordination, decor matching and theme room matching is possible if you shop the right brand!
Ceiling Fan 101 – How
Now that you have decided you can’t live without a ceiling fan and you would like to make the air in that room count, let’s go over the basics of how to choose the right fan. One note in general: Ceiling fans should be installed at least 7′ from the floor and 18″+ from the walls, however it is best to install at 8′ for getting the best airflow your fan is offering. Now let’s see what else makes a difference in your purchase.
SIZE
Size matters and who said it did not? We have done a lot of shopping and 5 bedrooms, and 6 other rooms all have fans in them, so it is a very shopped item in my home. I learned so much shopping, and the information is the same across the board for ceiling fans. The size of the room is your first consideration and you can base pretty much gauge your decision on the following:
If you are working in a room that is smaller about 8′ x 12′, you are a candidate for a 30″ ceiling fan, but if you room is about a 12′ x 12′ you will want to look at a minimum size of 42″ and that brings us to the rooms that boast a size of 18′ x 20′ and larger, which would require fans to be 52″.
Don’t just go fall in a love with a fan, because there are other considerations, like the ceiling height as well as the blades, so let’s take a look at what this means to you. You can find a full line of fans,at your mass retailing home DIY stores. There are perfect for every room scenario from low ceilings, to standard Ceiling, to those very high ceilings and with this comes a way to hang each of these.
For instance, our ceilings were beyond 10Ft so we needed to mount with a down rod, not a flushed mount(attached directly to ceiling). If the fan is attached right to the ceiling because the room’s ceiling is 8′ or less you need a flush mount without a down rod or the fan will be knocking you in the head(those that are tall know the problem here) and be dangerous. A down road, extends the fan from the ceiling down to optimum levels for best air circulation. Ideally, optimum air circulation from the blades of the ceiling fan occur at 8 ft from the floor.
Down Rod- these come in different sizes and are used to extend rods, while extended mounts are those that hang on the higher ceilings and extend the fan to the optimum level of 8-9 feet about the floor to get the best airflow.
Circulation & Blades
The blades are the items on the ceiling fan that go round and round, more than a merry-go-round and you want the motor as well as the blades to really last. Do you know that most fans out there are not energy-efficient as they claim to be? Efficiency is measured on how long the fan lasts, moves and how quiet it is while also factoring in the amount of energy it uses. Some of the fans out there come with reversible blades just like a reversible jacket; when you get sick of the look on one side, change it up by changing the blades, from one side to another.
Lavishly live the fall and winter out loud, saving money and getting the air you need circulated most with a ceiling fan!