- What are the Advantages of Ceiling Fans?
- Ceiling fans help cool you in the summer with a gentle downdraft creating
a wind-chill effect. A temperature of 78° to 80° would feel like 72°, which
allows you to set your thermostat higher.
In the winter ceiling fans push heated air from the ceiling towards the floor, while
providing a more even heat, even with your thermostat set lower.
(Energy savings of up to 40% in summer cooling; up to 10% in winter heating; depending on climate)
- How much energy do fans use?
- Ceiling fans are extremely efficient. They actually use less energy than a 75watt lightbulb.
- What determines a quality fan?
- Precisely matched fan blade weight and arm pitch are a good start. Unmatched or uneven blades will lead
to fan wobble and greatly shorten the life and performance of your fan. The fan motor must also
be appropriate for the size and pitch of the blades used.
- Why are fans noisy?
- Quality fans are not noisy! High quality (permanently-sealed and lubricated)
ball bearings and factory installed shock absorption components of quality fans eliminate noise
and ensure long life.
- How do I determine the quality of a fan's motor?
- A high quality efficient motor will move the most air with the least energy.
A fan that uses less than 1 amp of electricity is a good start. Also consider the pitch of the fan
blades incorporated into the fan. Some manufacturers may sacrifice blade pitch (less than 12°) to
accommodate lesser quality motors. A blade pitch of 12° to 14° matched to a quality manufactured motor
will maximize fan efficiency.
Also look for features such as:
- 16 pole motor for smooth operation and performance
- Multiple capacitors to control starting and stopping.
- Cast steel or stamped zinc housing
- Sealed bearings
- What Size fan do I need?
- A good rule-of-thumb for fan size is as follows:
- Small rooms up to 64 square feet - 29"
- Rooms up to 100 square feet - 42"
- Rooms up to 225 square feet - 52"
- Large rooms up to 400 square feet - 56";60" or two 52" fans
- How far should the fan hang from the ceiling?
- There is no set rule but you should avoid fans that are extremely close to the ceiling and
fans that are closer than 7' from the floor. For ceilings taller than 8' it is important
to balance the down rod length with the ceiling height. The following is a general guideline:
- 9' ceiling 6" down rod
- 10' ceiling 12" down rod ; 12' ceiling 24" down rod
- 14' ceiling 36" down rod ; 16' ceiling 48" down rod
- 18' ceiling 60" down rod ; 20' ceiling 72" down rod
- What are the available options for controlling fans?
- Besides the traditional fan mounted pull chain and knob control, remote control and wall controls
are avaible for some fan models. Options currently available include:
- Wall mount slide control: Control fan speed (2-wire installation)
- Wall mount dual slide controls: Control fan speed and light level (3-wire installation)
- Wall mount dial control: Control fan speed (2-wire installation)
- Hand Held Remote: Control fan speed and light level (2-wire installation)
- What lights fit my fan selection?
- Whatever looks right to you.
- I know how to find quality now. I know how to select the correct fan size for my room. How do I choose the right style for me?
- Guess what we have more general guidelines.
- Minimize fan appearance with White-on-White style fan against a white ceiling.
- Match blade material and finish to compliment room decor.
- Match fan base finish to compliment room decor.
- Match fan light fixture to compliment room decor.
If you would like further guidance contact a Garbe sales person for further assistance.
Glossary
- Blade Pitch: The angle of the blade relative to the fan.
- CFM : Amount of air moved measured in Cubic Feet Per Minute.
- Fan Efficiency : Relationship to amount of air moved to energy consumed.
- Fan Size : Total diameter of blade span.
- RPM : Fan speed measured in Revolutions Per Minute.
- White-on-White : White fan blade with white finish fan base.
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