Nothing exemplifies summer more than a ceiling fan lazily drifting overhead. And the best fans feature summer/winter switches, making ceiling fans a great addition during the winter months, too. Today we’re going to discuss what you should look for when buying a ceiling fan, including size, cost, functionality, if the fan has a summer/winter feature, and how to use them. Explore our points below or contact our team at Martec for more information!
How Do Ceiling Fans Work?
Did you know that ceiling fans don’t cool or lower temperature? Instead, they work in similar ways to a soft breeze; by moving air around and over the skin. This cools you by accelerating perspiration evaporation.
Ceiling fans can be an effective, low-cost alternative to both air conditioners and heaters during the cooler winter months.
Ceiling Fan Type
There are essentially two categories of ceiling fans: alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). Within these categories, there are a number of alternatives when it comes to materials, sizes, and blades. AC fans are the most common ceiling fan you’ll find installed. They also tend to be cheaper and have a wider range of options.
DC fans, however, are growing in popularity as they deliver even greater efficiency with lower running costs. DC ceiling fans also offer more speed options over air movement than AC, with up to 6 settings compared to most AC fans that have around 3 settings.
Choosing the Right Size
When buying a ceiling fan, the first thing you need to do is figure out the size of your room and the basic speed range you want. You might want only 3 basic settings for a bedroom but 6 powerful settings for a workroom. You will need to measure your room and record them, so you know you’re getting the right sized fan.
Remember to Consider Ceiling Height
Ceiling height absolutely makes a difference when it comes to choosing the right ceiling fan. The minimum ceiling height needs to be at least 2.1 to 2.4m high for the best performance. If your ceiling is significantly higher, around 2.7-3m or even more, you will probably need to buy an extension rod to lower the fan to the right level.
Ceiling Fans with Lights
Most ceiling fans these days come with integrated lights as a standard feature. Other ceiling fans offer the ability to install a lighting system. Having a ceiling fan with a light can be a great power saver. They can be the primary light in a room or add to the current lighting in a home. If you have existing lighting, always make sure your new ceiling fan’s lighting system fits with the established lighting.
Most ceiling fans now use LED lighting. While this can make them a little more expensive, LED lights are extremely efficient and last years longer than your standard light bulbs. They can also come in different colour temperatures to suit your room, with brighter colours for workspaces and entertaining rooms, to warmer colours for intimate spaces like bedrooms. So a ceiling fan with a light can make your home far more efficient.
Controlling Your Fan
You may want to choose a ceiling fan that comes with a remote control. There is nothing worse than getting up and down during a hot summer night to change the speed of the ceiling fan, when it’s hard enough to get sleep as it is! Remote controls let you quickly and simply change the speed of your fan the moment you want it changed. Most remotes also feature an on/off switch, so you can turn your fan off whenever you like.
If your ceiling fan comes with lights or can have lights installed, then your remote control will offer an on/off function for your lights.
How Expensive are Ceiling Fans to Run?
On average, ceiling fans are far cheaper to run than your standard air conditioner. In fact, you can either use them instead of an air conditioner or alongside one to further help save money. You can run a ceiling fan at the same time as an air conditioner to further move cold air around your home and allow you to use a higher temperature than you normally would without a fan.
In comparison to a 2500W or 3500W air conditioner, ceiling fan running costs are significantly lower. Even if you choose a high airflow fan, it won’t use as much power, so the cost of running ceiling fans is far from expensive.
Check the Noise Level of the Fan
When you’re fighting the heat of summer, there’s nothing worse than battling the sound of a noisy air conditioner as well. Quality brands, like Martec, provide ceiling fans with quiet and efficient operation. As a result, you can enjoy a cool, comfortable home throughout Summer and keep your workspaces and studies comfortable year-round without noise intruding on Zoom calls or distracting you while you work.
Ceiling Fan Materials
There’s a wide range of materials you can choose from, based on your interior design and your location. You can also choose the perfect type of fan for your outdoor space. Plastic, wood, aluminium, and stainless steel are all available and all provide different design options and airflow needs. At the end of the day, these materials all work in a similar way. Their performance is really determined by their motor (AC or DC). It is important to choose the right materials for your locations, however. Beach regions and tropical zones need ceiling fans rated for tropical zones to ensure they run properly and for as long as possible.
The number of blades is also not as much of an issue as people believe, with fans coming with two to four blades.
Summer/Winter Functions
Most modern fans can be used in both the summer and winter months. This can help you in winter bring the heat down to the living area without creating an uncomfortable winter draft and reversing the fan’s direction, from anticlockwise in summer to clockwise in winter.
Are you looking for the best new ceiling fans on the market? Explore the range at Martec today, or contact our team for further information!
