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About This Project
You don’t have to be a “Casablanca” aficionado to appreciate the elegance a ceiling fan can bring to your home. And you can enjoy a fan all year long as it creates a welcome breeze in the summer and circulates warm air in the winter.
Ceiling fans (technically called “paddle fans”) used to be frustrating to install, to say the least. Most of the time you had to wing it because specialty hanging systems were poorly developed or nonexistent. Nowadays, most manufacturers have designed versatile mounting systems that take the hassle out of installation. When you add in the improved, stronger ceiling boxes, you’ll find that just about any ceiling fan can go up quick and easy on any ceiling, sloped or flat.
In this article, we’ll illustrate crystal-clear instructions that go beyond the basic set included with the fan. We’ll also show you how to avoid common pitfalls like putting on parts in the wrong order and forgetting to slip shrouds on ahead of time. Some mistakes are more serious than these. Standard electrical boxes or blades hung too low can be downright dangerous.
Expect to spend at least $150 for a high-quality fan and a bit more for accessories like electronic controls, fancy light packages and furniture-grade paddles.
Buying A Ceiling Fan
If you haven’t walked under a
large fan display yet, hold onto your hat. You’ll be over-TAB whelmed by
the selection of colors, styles and accessories, especially if you visit a
ceiling fan store. If you intend to use your fan regularly, invest in a model
in the $150-plus category. You’ll get a quieter, more efficient, more
durable unit. If you spend beyond that amount, you’re usually paying for
light packages, radio-actuated remote and wall controls, style, and design
(fancier motor castings, inlays, blade adornments or glasswork). If you spend
less, you’re likely to get a less efficient, less durable, noisier unit
with fewer color, blade and electronic choices.
Choose the blade diameter that best suits the room visually and make sure the unit will fit under the ceiling without jeopardizing SLOT beehive hairdos. Bigger rooms call for wider fan blade diameters. The bigger fan will not only look better but also move more air.
Most ceiling fans are designed for heated, enclosed spaces. If you’re putting a fan in a screen room, a gazebo or other damp area, the building code requires you to use a “damprated” fan. These fans have corrosion-resistant stainless steel or plastic parts that can stand up to high humidity and condensation. If you live in a coastal area with corrosive sea air, or if you’re putting a fan in a particularly wet environment like a greenhouse or an enclosed pool area, you should choose a “wet-rated” fan.
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