How to Choose a Ceiling Fan for Indoors or Out
Ceiling fans are a useful fixtures in the home as they help you keep cool on warm summer days, and outdoor fans can also keep bugs away from your covered porch or patio.
11/01/2024
Ceiling fans are among the most useful
fixtures you can install in your home. They help
you keep cool on warm summer days, and outdoor
fans can also keep bugs away from your covered
porch or patio. Indoors, they can help you
recirculate warm air in the winter to stay nice
and cozy even when it’s freezing out. You just
have to be able to choose the right fan for your
home, whether you’re installing it inside or
outside.
The first thing to consider is
the size of the space where you’ll be hanging
the fan. You should also measure the ceiling
height in the space where you’ll be hanging the
fan. Consider what fan features you need and
don’t forget to pay attention to the fan rating.
Measure the Square Footage of the Space Where You’ll Be Hanging the Fan
Ceiling fans come in a wide range of different sizes, from 73 centimeters in diameter to 152 centimeters or more. Fans are measured across the width of the blades, so a 1 meter fan will be one meter wide from the top of one blade across the center to the tip of the corresponding blade. You will need to know the square meterage of the space in which you plan to hang the fan in order to buy a fan of the appropriate size. Use these guidelines to choose the right fan size for your room:
- For rooms up to about 120 square meters, choose fans at least 1.5 meters in size.
- For rooms up to about 70 square meters, choose fans of about 1.3 meters in size.
- For rooms smaller than 70 square meters, choose fans no more than 1 meter in size.
- For very large rooms or long, narrow rooms, consider hanging multiple fans, even multiple large fans.
It’s important that your fan be the right size for the space you’re hanging it in. A fan that is too small won’t feel very effective, and a fan that is too large will create an uncomfortable amount of air movement. If you’re choosing ceiling fans for a very large room, you might want to hang more than one smaller fan instead of one very large one.
Consider the Ceiling Height
Ideally, a ceiling fan should be about 2.4 to 2.7 meters off the floor. This gets it out of the way so that no one hits their head on it, while still being close enough to the floor that you can feel its effects. Measure your ceiling height so you can decide what kind of fan or equipment you need to lower it to the right height. If your ceilings are higher than about 2.7 meters, or sharply pitched, then you will need a long extension rod for your fan. If your ceilings are lower than about 2.4 meters, you should consider installing a flush-mount ceiling fan.
Pay Attention to the Fan Rating
Ceiling fans are rated for outdoor use,
indoor use, or indoor/outdoor use. Sometimes
these ratings are referred to as wet, damp, and
dry. A wet-rated fan has been designed to
withstand exposure to the elements, so that’s
the rating you need to look for if you want to
buy outdoor ceiling fans.
If you want to
hang your ceiling fan indoors, think about
whether there will be any moisture or humidity
present in the room where you want to hang it. A
bathroom or kitchen will get humid and moist,
but won’t be exposed to the elements, so you
should use a damp-rated or indoor/outdoor fan in
these areas. Bedrooms and living rooms won’t
have any sources of moisture normally, so you
can hang indoor or dry-rated fans in these
spaces.
Get the Right Fan Features for Your Needs
You can either choose a ceiling fan with
simple features, like a built-in light fixture
and pull chain controls, or you can go all out
and choose a fancy model with smart
connectivity, wireless wall controls that are
easy to install, or a remote control. If you
have it in the budget, it can be worth it to buy
a smart fan or at least one with a remote
control or wireless wall controls.
Choosing a ceiling fan can feel overwhelming,
but it’s a much easier choice when you break it
down a little bit. Know what factors to consider
when choosing a ceiling fan, and you’ll be much
happier with your purchase.