Hampton Bay Ceiling Fan Instructions Article
How to Choose the Best Ceiling Fan for You
Contemporary fans were first used over a century ago, and ceiling fans have been around for even longer. Today, ceiling fans are much more popular than ever before, and consumers may be easily bewildered by the large number of sizes and styles, features and options from which one can choose. There are so many different companies making ceiling fans, and so many different styles and features that its easy to just throw your hands up in despair. Instead of being confusing, this process should be simple. After all, the many features are there to make our life simpler, so that everyone can get the fan that they want. Think about what you want to get out of your ceiling fan, and the features that would make your life more comfortable, and youre well on the way to finding the fan thats right for you.
The first thing you should do is find out the size of the room that you want to cool. Larger rooms require larger fans: Up to a hundred square feet you need a three foot long fan. For rooms between 100 and 144 square feet use a three and a half foot long fan for best results. For between 144 and 225 square feet a fan from three and two thirds feet long to four feet is recommended. Larger than 225 square feet, up to 400 square feet, use a four and a third foot to four and a half foot long fan to get the right effect. Four and two thirds foot long fans are good for rooms up to 484 square feet floor space. The longest ceiling fans in production, which are five feet long, can cool a room up to 625 square feet floor space.
The next important thing to think about is whether you need a fan for indoors, or for a room outside the house. Most fans dont work well outside, at least not for long. High and low temperatures, humidity, insects and dust can cause the fan mechanism to fail. However, some are specially designed so that the extreme temperatures and weather dont destroy them. Fans that are used outside are not common, but they are out there. Hunter, a company that manufactures ceiling fans, gives a warranty on all the fans it produces, including both inside use and outside use models.
The Hunter 1886 series is a good choice if youre into the Retro category of fan style. Popular styles in use today are based on the twenties, thirties and forties when ceiling fans were in the height of their popularity. These fall into the categories of Retro or Traditional, depending on where they are placed. Fans with five blades are Contemporary, and with three blades considered Futuristic. The Special category is anything else. You know what kind of fan you need because you know how you want your home to look, and you know the things that are already in your home. Choose a fan that fits your personal tastes.
Do you need a light on your fan? Most fans nowadays can have lights attached to them, and some actually come with lights attached that cannot be detached. Consider purchasing your favorite fan and your favorite light then putting them together. If the light and the fan are made by the same company theres a good chance they will fit together well.
You may need to install a switching mechanism yourself from the wall, connected to your fan. If you cant handle this, a remote switch might be easier.
Another very important thing to think about is a support structure to hold your fan. Fans are much heavier than regular lights, and they need support to stay in place safely. Dont use a standard light box to hold a ceiling fan. The best way to do it is to follow Hunters advice, which is to mount the fan to a frame above the junction box. If not this, then install a box on the frame, or up against it.
