The ultimate buyer’s guide to purchasing the perfect ceiling fan for your space

It is hard to truly value a ceiling fan until you have spent time in a space without one. Not only are they incredibly effective at cooling rooms down and creating a nice breeze, but they are also one of the cheapest forms of air conditioning to run.

Ceiling fans are easy to install and cheap to run. So, they seem like a win-win choice. However, before you run out and buy one for your space… You need to work out the type of ceiling fan you need otherwise the exercise will be a little pointless.

Don’t know what kind of ceiling fan you need for your space?

Don’t worry, we’ve put this article together to help you do just that. Not only will we be talking about why ceiling fans are such an effective form of air conditioning but we will also be talking about 3 key factors you need to consider when purchasing one.

How do ceiling fans work?

While most of us are familiar with ceiling fans, many people do not know how they keep our rooms so cool. It’s time to change that.

A common misconception is that ceiling fans cool rooms. When what ceiling fans actually do is create something called Wind Chill. This is the same for the sensation we get when air moves quickly past our skin.

Ceiling fans create air circulation in rooms that previously didn’t have any. This circulation is what makes the room feel cooler to us. Hot air is drawn up towards the ceiling fan. The fan then channels down back into the room. Because the air is moving at a faster rate it feels colder.

In summer you should have your fans running in a counterclockwise direction as this creates a downdraft. Downdrafts create an illusion of cooler air. In the winter you should reverse this, so the fan is spinning in a clockwise direction. This will create an updraft, helping to warm the air faster.

Sometimes you may need multiple fans to have an effect on a bigger room. You should have all the fans spinning in the same direction.

3 important features of ceiling fans

When picking out the best ceiling fan for your space there are three main factors you will need to consider:

1. The size of the room you want to install the fan in
2. What power level you require from your fan
3. What type of room you are installing your fan in

Size of the room and fan

Let’s start by looking at the size room you are looking to install your fan in. You will need to know the size of the room you want to install the fan in before you purchase it.

If you buy a fan that is too small for the space, it will have very little effect on the room temperature. If you buy a fan that is too big for the room it will be too loud and make the room unpleasantly cold.

Some larger rooms may require multiple fans, especially if the room is a more complicated shape than a square.

Speed of the fan (power)

The next thing you will want to consider is what power level you require for your fan. While it can be tempting to immediately go for the most powerful fan there are a few factors to consider.

More powerful fans tend to be louder. While this is fine for a bathroom fan, it may not work well in an office or restaurant setting.

You may find that it works better for your situation to get a less powerful fan that will allow you to concentrate on what you need to do in the room.

It is worth noting that some more expensive brands offer powerful and silent fans. But there is quite a price jump.

Type of room

Finally, you will need to consider what type of room you want to put your fan in. As we mentioned above, powerful fans aren’t great for office spaces as they are very loud. But they may be a great option for a bathroom.

For larger office spaces you may want to consider multiple less powerful fans spread out across the room. In living room spaces you may find that one medium fan does the job.

You will also need to consider the height of the ceilings, you do not want to have fans that hang too low in rooms that are in constant use.