When it’s time to replace your fan, it’s time. There are literally thousands of options to choose from, how do you find the right one? Not to worry young Padawan, we’re the experts in home ceiling fans and we’ll walk you through it every step of the way.
70” wide, 9018 CFM
62” wide, 7133 CFM
3ARR68 without light kit
3ARR68 with light kit
Visual Comfort Fan Collection - 4BFR54
Visual Comfort Fan Collection - 3CPR60ATIHAB
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There’s nothing that should be as reliable as a ceiling fan – we trust our ceiling fans to keep us cool in the summer and (believe it or not) warm in the winter. Ceiling fans with lights provide an extra layer of illumination, while outdoor ceiling fans are built to weather the elements in all but hurricane-level conditions. Today we take a look at the finer points of buying the RIGHT ceiling fan for your space, filled not only with high function but with high style to go along with it.
It doesn’t matter if you need to buy a new ceiling fan for your bedroom, living room, workshop, or favorite mode of transportation…
Do you need an indoor or outdoor fan? If the fan you need is for indoors, you can use either an indoor or outdoor fan (which have special screens to protect the motor from bugs that will gum up the works) perfectly. If your fan is going outdoors, you need to get the right wetness rating…a damp rated fan for under a roof, or a wet rated fan where rain may hit the fan directly.
Size matters. Fans move air in a room, and if you have a big room you need a bigger fan. People don’t think about smaller rooms… they actually need a smaller fan to keep the airflow moving just right. Let’s get your sizing right, courtesy of our friends at Visual Comfort Fan Collection:
Room Size
Fan Size
80 Sq. Ft. (8' x 10')
20” to 34”
90-120 Sq. Ft. (10' x 12')
34” to 48”
125-300 Sq. Ft. (15' x 20')
52” to 56”
350-400 Sq. Ft. (20' x 20')
56” to 72”
Number of blades… doesn’t matter. It’s purely an aesthetic choice and I’ve seen fans with as many as fifteen blades and with as few as one. What matters is the amount of air the fan moves. Fans will typically give you their maximum air movement ratings (in CFM: Cubic Feet per Minute) so you can compare how much “blow” they have against each other. If you’re searching for maximum air movement, now you know where to look.
Can you see the light? Do you need to? Many fans come with lighting built-in (either a socket for a traditional bulb, or a built-in LED light), or have the option for you to buy a light kit to add a light to the fan. Make the decision whether your fan needs to have a light before you shop, remembering that adding a light kit will change how the fan looks in your home.
Even if you’re not near Washington, should you be looking for DC? Motors on fans come in two varieties. The older technology is AC (alternating current) based, while the newer technology is DC (direct current) based. DC fans are slightly more expensive but have significant benefits like using up to 70% less electricity, being 50% quieter, they’re smaller and have more speed options. Check out our full article here.
When you’re buying a new ceiling fan you got to ask yourself a question… Are you smarter than a 5th grader ceiling fan? In today’s modern house, where we can ask Alexa, Google Home or Siri to do just about anything for us while we binge watch Parks and Recreation for the 14th time (God knows I love me some Swanson), it’s really convenient to have your fan be smart as well. Literally say the word, and your room feels instantly cooler. If that’s your style, make sure to pick a smart ceiling fan.
Now for the fun part… style. Today’s top manufacturers have artisans that craft designs that fit a wide array of styles, certain to have one that’s just right for your home. Whether you’re a minimalist at heart or deeply steeped in the traditions of your “Pappy,” take the time to find the one that screams… YOU.
Okay, so you’ve decided indoor or outdoor, got the right size, selected one with the CFM rating you like, decided if you need a light kit (or built-in one) and picked your style – congrats, you’ve found your fan! You’re done, right? Nope. Many people think that they’re done, without checking a few other (possible absolutely required) accessories.
Being somebody who is deeply steeped in the idea that function is the most important asset of just about anything, the key accessory is a downrod. Fans work best when they are 8-9’ off of the floor… and if you’re hanging your ceiling fan from much higher than that (say, a 12’ ceiling) you’ll need an extension rod that is bigger than the 3-6” version you get in the box. This downrod has to be sized just right – having the fan too close to the ceiling and too far from the ground will do little to move air around your space. Check the height of your ceiling, then use this guide to buy a downrod from the same manufacturer as your fan:
Let’s stay on this function train for a minute… think about where your fan will be mounted on the ceiling. Is the ceiling flat or does it have a slope to it? Most fans are fine to install on a slope as much as 30°, but if your ceiling slopes higher than that you’ll need something called a slope kit (which mounts on ceilings with as much as a 45° angle). Make sure to pick one up if you need it.
So you see, just saying, “Hey, let’s get a new ceiling fan” is the right first step, but by carefully looking at the options and accessories available through our mammoth collection on 1StopLighting you can find just the right pieces to make your fan look and work its best. If you run into trouble with any of these decisions, we have industry-trained customer care specialists who have all the answers – just give us a call at (866) 203-5392 and we promise to treat you like family.
