Items to Consider When Purchasing

a Ceiling Fan

1. Which Room(s)?

• Decide which room/rooms you are looking to install a fan. Look at rooms that are on the second story of your home or rooms that are not ventilated as well. These are great places to consider installing a fan.
• Once you decide on your room you need to decide where you would like mount your fan(s). Most fans are placed in the center of the room, allowing smooth air flow throughout the room. However, larger rooms may be better suited for 2 fans for optimal air flow (such as the Brewmaster and Punkah) when you can expand your fan’s reach by adding multiple fans or blades onto the same motor.

2. Room Factors to consider:

Consider these various room factors prior to installing your Fanimation Fan

• Room Size
  • 30" ceiling fan for rooms up to 8' x 10' (small bedrooms, walk-in closets, smaller kitchens)
  • 42" ceiling fan for rooms up to 12' x 12' (medium bedrooms, kitchens, small recreation areas)
  • 52" ceiling fan for rooms up to 18' x 20' (large bedrooms, family rooms, great rooms, dining rooms)

• Ceiling Height
  • Low ceiling: Hugger mount or traditional- mount without downrod
  • Standard 8' ceiling: traditional- mount with downrod
  • 9' or Higher ceiling: Extended downrod
  • Sloped ceiling: Extended downrod and sloped fan kit
  • Check out the downrod section of the site for more details. Also remember, custom downrod lengths are also available

• Checking your fan’s clearance height

You will need to check the floor to ceiling height of the blades. Make sure you take into account the distance that the fan hangs from the ceiling. Remember factors such as the height of the fan including the light kit, or do the blades of the fan slope downwards or extend straight out from the fan motor.

For safety, a minimum height of 7’-9’ is recommended. If your fan does not meet the 7’ recommendation, you can look into a low-ceiling mount. Check building codes in your area that may require this.

For optimum air circulation it is most efficient to have the fan blade 8' to 9' above the floor. For higher ceilings please call customer support for assistance with custom downrod lengthmay require this.

3. Circuits and Power Supply

Since fans require the same amount of power as most ceiling fixtures, the electrical circuit shouldn’t be overloaded. If the fan includes a light fixture, ensure that the circuit is able to handle both the fan and light. If your circuit will not hold this capacity then a new circuit must be run from the home’s main panel to the fan. If there was not a preexisting fixture, you will need to create a place to hang the fan. If your home is not wired properly, some fans do have swag wiring that can be plugged into a wall outlet, but ceiling installation is preferred. It is easiest to install ceiling bracing and electrical wiring during new home construction even if you will be installing a fan at a later time. Consulting an electrician is always your best option.

4. Energy Efficiency

To save money on your electric bill also look into Energy Star rated fans. Wind Deco offers Fanimation Fans that require less electricity to run than normal fans. Some Fanimation Energy Star rated fans can run 24/7 for as little as $2.98 per year*. That less than it costs for a 100 watt light bulb!

*Amount may vary based upon your local electric rates, speed of fan and fan selection.

Energy Star rated fans that are available on Wind Deco are as follows:

• Enigma                             • Edgewood

• Huxley                             • Windpointe model FP7400

• Levon

5. Quality and Durability

Fanimation's products use larger and higher quality motors than many other brands on the market. The motors are built using the highest quality materials and components, insuring years of reliable and dependable operation.  

A cheap fan is more trouble than it is worth. Not only will a cheap fan wobble, but a poor-quality fan will not circulate as much air at a given RPM. While speed helps control how much air is moved, blade pitch (angle between blade and horizontal) and design also play a role. Good quality fans boast motors that have more power, so as to allow for greater blade pitch. Cheap fans, on the other hand, have motors that are not strong enough to handle the air resistance associated with greater blade pitch, requiring the manufacturer to lower the blade pitch to avoid burning out the motor. Also, cheap fans produce a humming noise. Remember that a good-quality fan will not always be priced unreasonably high. Even Fanimation ceiling fans lines such as the Aire Décor line are high Fanimation grade quality at an affordable price.

6. Design and Style

Fanimation Fans have out of the box designs that will be a statement piece that will bring the “wow” factor to your home or, a stylish fan that will complement your decor.  Before purchasing a fan for your home, think about your room and decide whether you want the fan to be a focal point or to blend into the ceiling.

Other Items to Consider

• Fans should run clockwise in winter (to move warm air off of the ceiling) and counterclockwise in summer (to create a cool breeze).
• For exterior installation be sure that all fan components are weatherproof and rated for outdoor use. With Fanimation brand fans, if a fan is a wet location fan – parts of the fan have been weather proofed to protect them from the elements.
• Choose fans built for damp or wet environments if shopping for an exterior space.
• Ceiling fans will not remove humidity from the air.
• Consult an electrician to ensure the ceiling can support the additional weight.
• Unless the ceiling height does not allow for a traditional-mount fan (with a downrod) to be mounted with the blades at least 7' above the floor, avoid hugger-mount fans or traditional-mount fans without downrods. Because the blades of such a fan are extremely close to the ceiling, such a fan would not move as much air as traditional-mount fans at any given speed. Instead, consider purchasing a wall mount fan instead of a ceiling mount fans. such as the Fanimation Fan the Fitzgerald
• Consider a remote or wall control if you are installing a fan on a higher ceiling.
• Get a light kit for your ceiling fan if you want additional light in the room. Try to find fan bulbs, since the vibration can cause standard bulbs to burn out more quickly than normal.
• Try to install a fan so that the blades are not between the light and the room.

Warnings

• Always mount a ceiling fan with the blades at least 7 feet above the floor, even if this requires a close-to-ceiling mount. A ceiling fan hanging too low can hit somebody's head and cause injury. Please do not mount a ceiling fan directly over the bed.
• Be aware of building codes. In many jurisdictions prohibit ceiling fans from being mounted with the blades less than 7 feet. Check your local building codes for details.