Can I use a ceiling fan outside?

The Torrento Fan from Fanimation.
You can use a ceiling fan anywhere you have a ceiling. Covered decks, porches and gazebos make great spots for a fan. Underwriter's Laboratory lists fans for outdoor use are two types of listings: "damp location" and "wet location". Damp location is suitable for most outdoor uses while wet location is intended for more severe situations.

FanShack has a plentiful supply of both damp and wet ceiling fans for purchase. To see available damp rated fans, click here. To see available wet rated fans, click here!

Ceiling Fan Tips from FanShack.com

The Carrera Grande Ceiling Fan from Emerson.
When choosing your ceiling fan, remember that you’re choosing both a cost-effective appliance as well as a work of art. Ceiling fans are among the first things noticed upon entering a room and should be picked based on both decorative aesthetics and the fan’s performance. For a great example, see the Emerson Carrera Grande Ceiling Fan.

For maximum airflow and optimal performance, be sure to take into account these four basic guidelines when choosing your fan:

Area of Blade: The length, width, and surface area of the blades greatly effects airflow and needs to be matched with your needs.

Revolutions per minute (RPM): With multiple factors involved, the more rotations a fan performs in a minute does not necessarily mean greater airflow.

Blade Span: The reaching diameter of the fan’s blades is imperative to the fan’s performance.

Blade Pitch: A greater amount of airflow will be achieved with a greater blade angle (pitch); however, a more powerful motor is required for optimum blade pitch.

My ceiling is sloped (not flat). Can I still install a ceiling fan?

Vaulted ceiling product 27993 by Hunter Fan Company.
Most manufacturers offer an optional "sloped ceiling" adapter that will allow you to hang your fan at any angle up to 48°.

FanShack.com's website has sloped ceiling adapters for you to choose from. Click here to see them!

What is ceiling fan blade pitch?

The BPW20MH outdoor fan blades from Fanimation.
Blade pitch is the angle of the blades when compared to the horizontal. Quality fans generally have a blade pitch of 12-14°. Lesser fans can have a blade pitch as low as 8-10°. The higher the pitch, the more pressure the fan blade applies to the air in front of it as it turns (and more air is pushed). That's why some lesser quality fans can look like they're spinning up a storm, but when you stand under them, you can't feel anything. The greater the blade pitch, the greater need for a stronger fan motor, as well. Again, the best way to judge is to test the fan in actual use.

In which direction should I operate my ceiling fan?

The direction of your ceiling fan is dependent on whether you want warm air to circulate the room or cold air to circulate the room.

Summer: Counter Clockwise
Winter: Clockwise

Summer

Counter Clockwise

Running your ceiling fan in a counter-clockwise motion during the summer will help create a breeze that will make you feel cooler. At all times, your skin has a very small amount of moisture on its surface. When the breeze created by the fan hits your skin, you feel cooler. Its the same idea as when you feel much colder getting out of a pool when you're wet as opposed to feeling that same air while dry. Ceiling fans don't change the temperature of the room, only the temperature which you feel.

Winter

Clockwise

Running your ceiling fan in a clockwise motion during the colder months will take all of the warm air that is trapped against the ceiling and push it down the walls of your room. Circulating the room with that warm air will help warm you up during the chilly season.

The employees at FanShack and FanShack.com are full of helpful hints and ideas for everything regarding your home! With the best service, selection, and savings, FanShack is your one stop shop for all home décor!

What length down rod should I use with my ceiling fan?

When customers come into FanShack's showroom, they often come loaded with questions. Luckily, we have the answers! One question we often get regarding ceiling fans is what length down rod they should use for their ceiling fan. If you've been asking this very same question yourself, check out the following:

A general formula for calculating the correct down rod length is the following:

Ceiling Height (in feet) - 9' = Down Rod Length

This formula is based on the fan-to-floor distance of 8 feet plus 1 foot for the dimension of the fan. For example, if your ceiling height is 12 feet, you need a 3 foot down rod in order to properly position the fan 8 feet from the floor.

And as always, if you have any questions regarding the above material or anything else regarding fans, lighting, furniture, or plumbing, contact us! We'd be happy to help you in any way we can.

How much can I expect to save using ceiling fans?

Ceiling fans can provide year-round energy efficiency and cost savings. A ceiling fan can save up to 40% on summer cooling costs, and up to 10% on winter heating costs. During winter, it can move heat trapped near the ceiling back in to the living area, reducing heating costs by up to 10%. This is especially valuable in rooms with high/vaulted ceilings. Savings will vary depending on local climate conditions and energy rates.

The Whitman from Casablanca.
Casablanca ceiling fans provide year-round energy efficiency and cost savings. Not to mention, they're one of our most popular brands! Click here to see everything Casablanca has to offer.

Can my ceiling fan be adapted to use a light kit?

The G241 light kit from Casablanca.
Most of today's modern fans are capable of using a light kit. The light kit attaches to the bottom of the fan's switch housing and requires only a simple electrical connection. However, it varies from manufacturer and model. Not all light kits are interchangeable with one another. Please consult with us, in regard to your specific fan needs, and we'll be happy to help with your light kit selection.

How do ceiling fans cool down or warm up a room?

The Concept II from Minka Aire

A ceiling fan, like the Concept I and Concept II fans from Minka Aire, cools a room by creating a "wind chill effect"; it does not lower the room temperature. "Wind chill effect" makes you feel cooler by accelerating the evaporation of perspiration on your skin. It's the feeling you get when you open the window in a moving car. If you have a ceiling fan in a room whose temperature is 80°F, running the fan can create a "wind chill effect" that makes you feel as if the temperature is 72°F. When used in conjunction with an air conditioner, a ceiling fan can lower energy costs (because you can set the thermostat of your air conditioner at a higher temperature).

The Bayhill ceiling fan from Fanimation.
A ceiling fan, like the Fanimation Bayhill, can also help lower energy consumption in the winter by up to 10%. The temperature of the air in a heated room varies in layers: the air near the ceiling is warmer than the air near the floor because warm air rises, so a ceiling fan can help push the warmer air that is trapped near the ceiling back down into the room, thus "de-stratifying" the layers of warm air. As a result, the warm air is circulated where it is needed and the heating system does not overwork to warm the room. To properly "de-stratify" a warmed room, the ceiling fan should be run in a clockwise direction. This pushes the air up against the ceilings and down the walls, to gently re-circulate the warm air without creating a cooling "wind chill effect."