Why Every Home Needs Ceiling Fans

Don’t we all look forward to those lovely warm days of summer? Unfortunately if you are getting heated up, so is your house. That’s where ceiling fans can come to the rescue and why I believe every home should have them.

Nothing feels better on a hot summer day than the cooling breeze of a ceiling fan. Plus, the addition of a ceiling fan in a bedroom can make the difference between a pleasant evening or a sleepless, uncomfortable night.

Rising energy costs have us all examining the electrical expenditures in our home and making decisions about the use of big ticket energy items like air conditioning. Instead of switching that air conditioning unit on, you may be able to achieve the comfort you are looking for with the use of a ceiling fan.

Besides the obvious cooling, there are a number of other solid reasons to have ceiling fans in your home. Here are five good reasons why your home needs ceiling fans.

1. Ceiling Fans Can Be Used Year-Round to Make You Feel Cooler or Warmer

Ceiling fans move the air in a room. In the summer, the cooler air from lower in the room is circulated, moving it into the occupied area and keeping the warmer air up high. More importantly, the moving air creates a wind chill effect and evaporates any perspiration on your skin, making you feel cooler.

Make sure your fan is turning in a counterclockwise direction in the summer. This will give you that desirable cooling effect. Reverse this in the winter so your fan is operating in a clockwise direction. This forces the hot air down into the occupied space of a room. You may want to operate the fan at low speed in the winter as too much of a breeze can be cooling.

2. When Used Properly, Ceiling Fans Can Save You Money

Ceiling fans will not replace air conditioning, but can supplement it. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can raise your thermostat four (4) degrees without impacting comfort levels in a room by using a ceiling fan. If it is not too stifling and a ceiling fan will suffice, turn off the air conditioning and allow the fan to handle the cooling.

Always turn off your ceiling fans when you are not in the room. The key thing to remember is that fans cool people off – not rooms. A fan running non-stop in an empty room is an energy waster and will not contribute to cooling you down when you are in other parts of your home. In fact, the ceiling fan motor is giving off heat as it works. Turning off that fan will prevent that heating.

Consider selecting Energy Star certified ceiling fan/light combination units. They are reported to be 60% more efficient than regular fan/light units, and use more efficient fan motors and blade designs. Energy Star light kits are also available if your fan does not come complete with a light kit.

3. Ceiling Fans Can Provide an Additional Light Source in a Room

Ceiling fans can be multi-purpose fixtures, providing both cooling/heating as well as supplying an additional light source in a room. However, lighting options are often not top of mind when selecting a ceiling fan.

If you want additional light for a room make sure the ceiling fan you select comes complete with a light kit, or, that you are able to purchase a separate light kit for the fan.

Consider the type of lighting you need for the room when selecting a ceiling fan/light kit. Downlights provide bright and direct light and are good for areas like the kitchen and laundry room, which require a lot of task type lighting. Uplight provides soft, mood lighting and works in areas like the bedroom, living room or den. You may want to consider adding a dimmer switch to further enhance mood lighting in these areas.

There are numerous bulb options to choose from, however, energy efficient options are your best bet in the long run. LED light bulbs provide considerable savings over time. They also operate at cooler temperatures so do not contribute to room heating.

4. Ceiling Fans Add Beauty to a Room

While ceiling fans serve a very functional role, they are also considered decorating essentials. A beautiful ceiling fan can complete or enhance the look of a room.

There are literally thousands of different looks, styles, finishes and colors to choose from. Plus, ceiling fans can be used in virtually any room of the home. Visit a reputable lighting store and take your time perusing their ceiling fan section. You might be surprised at the myriad of options available to you.

5. Ceiling Fans Add Value to Your Home

While the addition of ceiling fans in a house may not be the deciding factor on a house sale, they can make your home the more desirable choice when deciding between comparable houses. This is especially true if the ceiling fans are replacing older, outdated light fixtures. One caveat: make sure the ceiling fans are in good shape and not outdated themselves!

Buyers are placing greater value on energy efficiency in homes, so when replacing or adding a ceiling fan, make sure you select quality, energy efficient ceiling fans with light kits that incorporate energy efficient light bulbs. Again, consider selecting Energy Star ceiling fan/lights.

What Next?

Ceiling fans are one of the easiest ways to improve the comfort of the environment within our homes. However, as you can see from the discussion above, the process of choosing the right fan can be as complex as deciding what kind or type of car to buy.

Some of the factors you will need to consider include:

• Where should you install a ceiling fan?

• How do I install a ceiling fan?

• What style, type, color, size, quality of fan do I need?

• How much should I spend on a fan?

• Where’s the best place to buy the fan?

• Should the ceiling fan be remote controlled, do I have separate switches for controlling the light and fan separately?

• Do I have switches at all, or do I need to operate it by the pull chain switches on the unit itself?

Additional Resources to Help With Your Search for a Fan and Installation Options

Complex isn’t it! This is such a big topic that I’ve developed a number of different articles and videos covering in depth the subject of choosing and installing ceiling fan, and how to deal with options such as fans with remote controls, different light controls, and the new 5-minute installation fans. Hope they help!

Helpful Articles and Videos:

Still More Questions?

Are there still questions that you need answered about ceiling fans? Feel free to ask your question below or check out my Facebook page and ask there. You can also subscribe to my YouTube Channel and check out the many free videos covering a number of different DIY wiring topics, including many instructing you on ceiling fan installation.

Do You Have the DIY Skills to Install That Ceiling Fan?

The installation of a ceiling fan is something most DIYers are capable of doing. However, if you’re not sure that your understanding of working around electricity and DIY skills have prepared you for installing that ceiling fan or any other home wiring project, here’s a great resource to bring your skill levels up to speed.

“The Basics of Household Wiring” is a comprehensive resource (available as a DVD, instant download or e-book) that will give you the information you need to tackle this type of home wiring project easily and, more importantly, competently. Don’t be intimidated by a DIY project that has you working around electricity. The Basics of Household Wiring will teach you how to do DIY wiring projects safely!

Need a little more information? Take a few minutes to watch this video clip for a good overview of the type of top notch instruction you’ll receive in this great resource. Order or download your copy today.

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