Sweep Your Energy Costs Away with Ceiling Fans

    Whether you're looking to lower your energy bill or wanting to add interest to your "fifth wall," ceiling fans are a great option. Both functional and beautiful, ceiling fans provide a gentle breeze with just one press of a button.
    But before you can relax with that crisp air gliding across your skin, you have to know the right one to buy - which is why I visited the Trading Post Fan Company to meet with Dana Bigman, the marketing services manager for Casablanca Fan Company.


Qualities to Look for in a Good Ceiling Fan

    Finding a high-quality, ceiling fan is fairly easy. There are only two things to look for:

    The ceiling fan should not wobble when on.
    The ceiling fan should be silent when on.

    High-quality ceiling fans run smoothly and silently. The only way you should be able to tell they're on is by feeling the gentle breeze on your skin. Other than that, they should be completely unnoticeable - well, except for their stunning good looks.



Ceiling Fan Direction: Which Way it Should Spin

    Contrary to popular belief, ceiling fans should be operated year round. In the summer, ceiling fans make you feel cooler by creating a cool breeze. In the winter, ceiling fans circulates the warm air from the top of the room back down to the bottom, which keeps you feeling toasty. But in order to feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter, you need to operate your ceiling fan in the correct direction.

    Winter: Clockwise
    Summer: Counter-clockwise

    Keep in mind that in the summer, you only need to keep the ceiling fan on when you're in the room.
    "People don't know this, but [ceiling fans] cool people not rooms," Bigman said. "If you leave the room, you're supposed to turn off the ceiling fan. [The ceiling fan's] not helping anything. It doesn't make [the room] cooler like an air conditioner."
     During the summer, you can feel up to 8 degrees cooler when in the same room as a ceiling fan that is turned on, according to Bigman. That means you don't need to use your air conditioner as much, which saves money.


Ceiling Fan Size

    Ceiling fans come in numerous sizes, which can make selecting the right one seem overwhelming. Luckily, it's very simple.
    All you need to do is measure the size of your room, and take those measurements with you when shopping. You want your ceiling fan to be proportional to your room.
    "You don't want a fan that's too small because it won't really do the job for the room, and you don't really want a fan that's too large because it will look overpowering in the room," Bigman said.
    

Ceiling Fan Style

    Selecting the best looking ceiling fan for your room can be tricky. So tricky in fact, that most people are afraid to choose a ceiling fan that stands out. Instead, they opt for one that blends in.
    "White is the most popular color, believe it or not, because ceilings are white," Bigman said. "People don't want to put a lot of thought into a ceiling fan so they usually pick white."
    But there is no need to be afraid of style and color. Ceiling fans can be a beautiful focal point in a room and jazz up the typical drab ceiling.
    The key to selecting a gorgeous ceiling fan is picking one that goes with your color scheme, has a similar texture to other accents in your room and fits with the style of the room. For example, if you have beautiful wood tables in your room that you would like to highlight, you might select a ceiling fan with wood blades in a similar finish. That way your ceiling fan would look like it belonged in your room.
    It's very easy to find a ceiling fan that will work in your room. Most ceiling fans have interchangeable blades and light fixtures that enable you to customize your ceiling fan to your decorating needs.


Ceiling Fan Controls

    Don't think you'll be stuck with a pull chain when you go to buy your next ceiling fan. These days ceiling fans are highly sophisticated.
    "A number of most fans actually come with a either a wall control or a remote control that comes with the fan," Bigman said. "The technology is built in, and it includes the controls - forward, reverse, fan speeds, light dimming and even some security features."
    Before deciding on a wall control or remote control, decide which will be easier for you to use. A remote control is nice because you can turn on the ceiling fan from anywhere in the room; however, it's a hassle because you have to remember where it is. A wall control is nice because it never gets lost; however, you have to be willing to install it or hire someone to install it.


Photo Credit: Casablanca Ceiling Fan Co.