Quick. What’s an inexpensive way to cut your cooling bills and add a touch of glamor to your decor at the same time?
No, the answer’s not to toss out your air-conditioning unit or place a picture frame in front of a dormant, ugly one. The correct answer is ceiling fans, which were originally designed to cool homes in the days before central air-conditioning was invented.
More than a century after they were introduced, ceiling fans have become an extremely cool way to bring down the temperature even when the air-conditioning is on.
Not only are ceiling fans hip, the selection has never been better. You can pick a ceiling fan that suits your room’s decor, even your personality.
The colors and styles available are “phenomenal,” says Pat Bunting, store manager for Crest Lighting Studio, a Lincoln Park store that sells hundreds of different ceiling fans. “Just about anything goes.”
Ceiling fan styles range from elegant Victorian models to playful units that feature a catcher’s mitt housing that’s clutching a baseball (the glass globe).
To get a better feel for what’s available, you’ll want to visit a ceiling fan showroom or scope out fans available at home improvement centers, outlet stores, and lighting and hardware stores. Don’t be surprised by the price range. You can purchase an inexpensive model for under $50 while top-of-the-line designer models might set you back $1,200.
Because most ceiling fans look alike, high-quality fans may be difficult to spot. Higher prices generally indicate better construction, materials and quality control, experts say, noting that low-quality fans are likely to be noisy and short-lived.
Some of the pricier models might actually include features you don’t want, such as heavier and fancier housings, remote or computerized controls and designer labels, experts note.
Consider the size of the room where you want to put the ceiling fan. “Most people think that with a small bedroom, you should do a small fan, but you should really go by dimensions,” says Bunting. For instance, while some homeowners might think otherwise, Bunting says a 52-inch fan would be appropriate for a 10-by-12-foot room. That’s not to say a big fan wouldn’t fit a room with a high ceiling.
“With a bigger room, you should definitely use a larger ceiling fan,” she says.
In a room with a high ceiling, you can install a fan on a downrod to provide better circulation, but a 3-foot downrod is the optimal length for circulating air even in rooms with extremely high ceilings, says Jim McCarthy, manager of Fox Lighting Gallery in Chicago. Anything longer won’t significantly improve circulation, he says.
Whatever style you choose, experts advise that you purchase one that has a lifetime warranty. Major brands generally offer lifetime warranties on motors and major parts.
Some experts also advise hiring a professional to install the fan because the instructions can be frustrating. But if you buy a better-quality fan, you can usually install the fan yourself because the engineering has improved, says McCarthy. “It’s usually just three screws, and that’s all. It’s easier than putting up a light switch.”
But if you’re going to install your own fan, here are some factors to keep in mind: It’s easier to install a fan where there is an existing overhead fixture.
Experts also advise that you ensure that the existing ceiling outlet box is replaced by one that is approved by Underwriters Laboratories and labeled “acceptable for fan support.”
Don’t install your fan on a variable or rheostat switch, otherwise you’ll get a fan that hums as it spins, Bunting warns.
Also think about how low you want your ceiling fan to hang. Ideally a ceiling fan shouldn’t hang lower than seven feet above the floor, especially in areas where people may raise their arms, such as when they’re dressing, the guide advises.
Woe to the person whose hand comes in contact with moving ceiling fan blades. “These things can break your fingers,” warns McCarthy.
Properly installed, a ceiling fan will cool your home quickly and inexpensively. A ceiling fan cools by forcing air down to the floor, where it spreads sideways to the walls before moving upwards. It can make a room feel six or seven degrees cooler–enough to provide comfort on a hot day, experts say.
“With the ceiling fan blowing air on you, your perspiration evaporates faster, so you cool faster,” McCarthy explains.
A ceiling fan conserves energy, no matter what time of year it is, and doesn’t expend any more energy than a 100-watt light bulb, says McCarthy.
Using a ceiling fan during the winter will cut your heating bills 5 to 10 percent, he estimates. The savings rise during the summer, when you can save 30 percent on your electric bills, McCarthy says.
What if you want to install a ceiling fan on a porch where it might get wet? Some experts suggest you purchase a unit that’s labeled suitable for use in damp locations, but others says that’s not necessary if your fan is nestled in an unexposed area.
Porches and bedrooms aren’t the only places to hang a ceiling fan. West Chicago interior designer Suzy Regitz likes ceiling fans in a home office where computers and fax machine all generate heat, making the room warm. “It becomes a necessity to control the heat,” she says.
Oak Park interior designer Jack Weyna believes ceiling fans are wonderful on porches and bedrooms, and any other casual living area, but not in more formal areas such as dining and living rooms.
“(Ceiling fans) have more a casual feeling,” Weyna says. “If you start putting them everywhere, you start to lose the flavor of what you’re trying to accomplish.”
