How To Choose The Right Ceiling Fan

Picture this. It’s hot outside because it’s summer and we’re in the Sunshine Coast. You’re sweating, so you go inside in hopes that it’s cooler. Nope, the same temperature, but you don’t want to turn on the air conditioner because it’s expensive to run and it’s always acting up. The portable fan is being used elsewhere, but you don’t want to buy another object to fill up the house, and they’re generally ugly. Now you’re hot and annoyed, and resign to your fate of an uncomfortable, sweaty afternoon.

All sound too familiar? Many Australians are going through the same thing as you, and a pretty good solution to the problem is to buy and install a ceiling fan. But how do you choose one? This guide will give you things to think about when choosing the right ceiling fan.

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Room Vs Fan Size

This is a rough ceiling fan size guide:

Fan Size	Room Type
~91 cm	Large Bathroom
~107 cm	Bedroom
~132 cm	Dining room, living room, patio area
~142 cm	Large Living room

Remember, this is only a rough guide, and it sometimes may be better to have two smaller fans depending on the shape of the room and its size. Additionally, if the room has a high ceiling, you may want a fan with a longer extension rod, as having a fan too high up would reduce the cooling effect.

If you’re unsure, contacting an expert can help you come to the right decision.

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Lighting or no lighting?

The decision to get lighting needs to be considered based on your needs, and how the room looks at the present.

If the room gets too dark, having a ceiling fan light can help illuminate the room. However, making it the main light source of the room may be inadequate as fan lighting is often designed to provide extra ambient illumination, and aren’t bright enough to be the main source of illumination.

However, if a room is already well lit, a ceiling fan light could be used to add ambience, but it may not be necessary.

It all comes down to personal preference and how each room looks, so lighting should definitely be considered when choosing the right ceiling fan.

AC/DC motors

The motors in the ceiling fan are another factor to consider. DC motors are much quieter and have up to 70% energy savings over AC motors. That being said, AC motors are still efficient, and fans don’t use up much energy so the savings are little. AC motor fans are also generally cheaper.

Pull chain? Remote control? Or wall switch?

These are the three main options for controlling your fan. Each has their merits.

Pull chains are great for outdoors, because all the switches may be far away, so pull chains are more convenient. However, they can be fidgety to get the right setting.

Wall switches are great for indoors, because generally as you’re walking into a room, you might need to turn on/adjust the lights in the room regardless. That being said, they can be inconvenient if the room gets hot while you’re in it, so getting up to turn on the fan can be annoying.

Remote controls allow you to control the ceiling fan from anywhere in the room, but only if you have it on you, and they’re very easy to misplace.

Again, it all comes down to preferences, so it should definitely be considered when choosing the right ceiling fan.

How many blades?

Ceiling fans can come with 2, 3,4 ,5 ,6 and even more blades. The advantage of having more blades is that they have a higher airflow rate. The advantage of having fewer blades is that they are more energy-efficient.

In terms of balancing those variables, the sweet spot is 3 and 4 blades, because they provide good airflow while being energy efficient.

Choosing the fans looks to fit your needs

How a ceiling fan looks is entirely subjective, but there are some things to consider.

Matching a ceiling fan with the general colour scheme of the room helps make them more discreet and can give the illusion of more room. For example, a white coloured fan in a room with white walls makes the fan less noticeable, so it would be great for smaller rooms

If you want the ceiling fan to stand out more, maybe because you’re tall and want it to be noticeable, then going against the colour scheme helps make the fan stand out.

Found the right one?

Hopefully, this guide helps you choose the right ceiling fan for your needs. If you need help installing a ceiling fan, call us today, or click the button below to contact us.

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