Choosing the Right Ceiling Fan For Your House?

Installing a ceiling fan is an easy way to save money on your energy costs. A ceiling fan uses much less energy than an air conditioner, and the breeze it creates helps you feel cooler even with your thermostat set higher. If you already have an overhead light fixture, installing a ceiling fan with a light kit in its place is not difficult.

It's important to choose the right ceiling fan for your room, though, to maximize your energy savings. There are two aspects to consider--the wall to wall size of your room and the floor to ceiling height of your room.

Most ceiling fans come in one of three standard sizes. The size is determined by the length of the fan blades. A 36 ceiling fan is good for a room that's 12 feet from wall to wall or less. Choose a 42 ceiling fan for rooms that are between 12 and 15 feet across. Use a 52 fan for rooms between 15 and 18 feet across.

If your room is larger than 18 feet across, you should install two ceiling fans on opposite sides of the room to maximize air flow.

These measurements are important, because too small of a ceiling fan won't create enough air flow to allow you to comfortably set your thermostat higher. Too large of a fan can be overpowering.

The second consideration is your floor to ceiling height, which will let you know whether to buy a ceiling fan that mounts flush to the ceiling or one that comes with a down rod to let it hang lower than the ceiling. You'll want to choose a fan that will hang between seven and nine feet from the floor. Most down rods are somewhat adjustable, but make sure the one you choose will let your fan hang within that range.

Keep in mind that if your fan has a light kit, the lights will hang lower than the fan blades. You may want to have the fan hang closer to the nine foot mark so the light is still above the seven foot mark.

Another consideration in choosing a ceiling fan is blade type. A greater number of narrow blades creates more of a breeze, while fewer paddle blades create air flow without feeling as much of a breeze.