Ceiling fans have been around for a very long time, the fan we all know being well over 150 years old; however, they are becoming alot more common these days. With the multitude of shapes, sizes, colors and feature options now on the market, deciding on what type of ceiling fan to purchase can be a headache. It really does not need to be this way. These exotic fan features have all been produced to fit a variety of peoples' needs and wants, and alot of them were also designed to make installing a ceiling fan alot easier. Here are some things you should do before you actually go out and purchase your ceiling fan.
Pull out the tape measure:
You will need to know the size of the room before you buy your ceiling fan. This will let you know what type of fan that you will need to buy. Rooms that are around 100 square feet, you will most likley be looking at a 36" fans. A 42" fan for rooms that are even larger then that. If you need a ceiling fan for rooms over 144 square feet, you will be looking at 44" and 48" ceiling fans. There are even larger fans then that for larger rooms. The biggest ceiling fans are 60" wide. A fan like this is able to cover rooms of up to 625 square feet! Now thats a big fan!
Will the fan be indoors or outdoors?
Outdoor fans are pretty hard to come by, but there are some available on the market. These types of fans are designed with the high temperatures, low temperatures, dirt, dryness and humidity of outdoor conditions in mind. That is why an indoor fan should NEVER be installed in outdoor conditions. Make sure you purchase the right fan for the right conditions. Some fan manufacturers have lifetime warranties on both indoor and outdoor ceiling fans.
What's your style?
You know what your style is. Ceiling fan styles are usually grouped into Hippie, Standard, Modern, Futuristic and Abstract. The most Hippie design available today on the market is the Hunter 1886 styles. Lots of ceiling fan designs will resemble the very first ceiling fans ever to come out- the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, and look either Hippie or Standard depending on where the ceiling fan is installed. Five blade fans are Modern, and three-blade fans are more on the Futuristic side. What are Abstract fans? The Football Fan is just one of those.
Lighting?
Most of the ceiling fans available today will allow you to add lighting to it if you would like. Actually, alot of fans will come with the lighting kits as part of the purchase. If light is needed in the very core of your setting, in addition to the fan, you can choose to buy the fan and lighting kits seperately or as one whole package. If you buy them separately, its best to match manufacturers so you know that they will both fit each other.
Powering the ceiling fan:
Before recently, to control your ceiling fan and the lighting on that fan from a switch, you needed a three-conductor wire in between the switch and the wall. Now some fan manufacturers make controls that will allow you to wire up with your existing two-conductor wires. And even more, pretty much all fan-and-light combinations on the market can be packaged with a remote control that only needs two wires at the ceiling box to give it power.
Support for the ceiling fan:
This one of the most important aspects to installing your ceiling fan. A full assembly fan weighs alot. Actually, even the small ones weigh alot. Fans also move; a ceiling fan could not be mounted on a standard lighting fixture. It will most likely tumble to the floor. Most ceiling fan manufacturers have standard instructions packaged for mounting the fan to a certain type of mounting item above the junction item. This will be your best bet, but another option is installing a special fan box, either on the mounting or latched to it.
To cool or not to cool?
Most people think of ceiling fans as a device to keep a place colder. This is the most common use, but they are just as useful for keeping a room warm when it is cold outside during those winter months. Make sure you purchase a fan that will blow in the downwards direction during warm weather and upwards in cold weather. Blowing upwards will cause the warmest air in the setting up and out, to come back down along the sides of the room. It will definately make the floor alot warmer, and you will notice this
Brett Brinkley is a proud homeowner and wants to spread as much information as possible on making the most out of one's home. You can read more about buying ceiling fans at http://www.CeilingFanTips.net