For most effective air circulation, choose a fan that is large enough for your room.
During hot summer months, cooling off your home makes the space much more comfortable. Air conditioning can be very effective, but the cost of running a unit all summer is too high for many budgets. Adding a ceiling fan to your home is a good way to combat the heat because it can actually help you reduce your air conditioning use by circulating cool air throughout the house.
Get the Right Size
Buying the right size ceiling fan for your room is key to getting the most out of the fan. The most important factor to consider when choosing a size is the fan's blade span. Blade spans vary from 36 to 60 inches and should be chosen in accordance with the square footage of the room. In most cases, a room that is 110 square feet or smaller is sufficiently cooled by a fan with a blade span of 42 inches or smaller. A room that is 110 to 150 square feet requires a blade span of 44 to 50 inches while a room that measures 150 to 300 square feet is best served by a fan with a 52- to 60-inch blade span. In rooms over 300 square feet, look for a blade span of 62 inches or over. However, you may be better off utilizing two smaller fans and placing them at opposite ends of the room to better circulate air.
Change Direction Seasonally
You may not realize it, but you can utilize your ceiling fan year-round to help with cooling and heating if you simply change its direction. For the summer months, ensure that the fan rotates in a counterclockwise direction so when you stand directly below it, you can feel a cool breeze flowing down on you. During the winter, change the fan's direction so it turns in a clockwise direction. If you use it at a low speed, the fan creates an updraft that pulls the warm air that has risen down toward the occupied portion of the room, which can help lower your heating costs.
Balance the Fan
Your ceiling fan's blades should be balanced when you take the fan out of the box, but in some instances, it may be wobbly after installation. To address the problem, test the fan's connections for proper alignment, and tighten any loose fasteners. Take a yardstick and hold it vertically along the edge of the blades to check their alignment. You can probably bend a blade that is misaligned back into place. However, if your blades are all properly aligned, a balancing kit may be necessary to identify the cause of the wobbling. Some fans come with a kit for this purpose while other manufacturers will provide a free kit upon request.
Clean Regularly
Because of the flat surface of the blades, ceiling fans are a dust magnet. If dirt, dust and debris are allowed to accumulate on the fan, the blades may begin to wobble and the motor can be affected as well. Clean the blades once or twice a week to prevent this type of damage. Many microfiber cleaning tools are on the market that are ideal for this purpose because they feature long, telescopic handles that make reaching the tops of the blades easier. However, you can also use paper towels and furniture polish or a hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner to remove dust and debris.
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