May 24, 2021
Enjoy Your Ceiling Fan All Year Long
Get the most out of your home ceiling fan by using it all year round. Ceiling fans help evenly distribute warm air in the winter and cold air in the summer. A ceiling fan is also one of the most energy efficient appliances you own.
By circulating the air in your home, fans help inexpensively regulate the temperature and save you money on energy costs. How do you get the most out of your ceiling fan? We’re here to help because – in case you didn’t notice – we’re big fans!
Reverse it
All ceiling fans have a reverse switch. Instead of blowing air down on you, they can also pull air up toward the ceiling. This is a great bonus in the winter –reverse your ceiling fan direction to distribute the warm air from your radiators or vents without getting the “wind chill effect.”
While fans don’t actually change the air temperature, air currents blowing over your skin give you the sensation of feeling cooler. The “wind” draws heat energy away from your skin and the stronger the wind, the more heat it draws. Try reversing your fan next time your home feels cold.
Alleviate Uneven Temperatures Between Floors
If you have an older house, you know this scenario all too well. The first floor, near your thermostat is nice and comfy. Upstairs it’s either too hot or too cold but most definitely not the temperature you dialed in.
Ceilings fans, strategically placed around your home, can lessen this phenomenon. They distribute the air more evenly across rooms and levels. A kitchen ceiling fan can also help blow hot air from your stove or oven away from your workspace to keep dinner preparations comfortable.
How to Choose the Right Ceiling Fan
Fans come in every shape size and color. If you have a low ceiling, a flush mount ceiling fan saves you valuable headroom. If you have a high ceiling, a fan with an extension pole can be positioned low enough to make a noticeable impact.
Most ceiling fan companies have sizing guides so that you can pick the right sized blade diameter for your room. They will also list the efficiency rating and cubic foot per minute (CFM) rating – which measures air flow – so that you know how your fan will perform.
All ceiling fans need to be mounted in a junction box. Make sure you have the proper wiring in place and that the box is positioned on a ceiling joist to hold the weight of your fan.
Other considerations when choosing a ceiling fan are the number of blades and method of turning it on/off. More blades don’t equal more air flow, they’re simply an aesthetic choice. For power, your choices are a wall switch, a pull cord or a remote control. A licensed electrician can help you make the best choice for each room and make sure installation won’t disrupt lights or other existing appliances.
How to Clean a Ceiling Fan
Months or even years may go by before you realize you forgot to dust your ceiling fan. Meanwhile, your fan blades are slicing through the air, picking up dust, pollen, pet hair and whatever else is floating around. By the time you get around to cleaning it, it’s pretty gross.
Never fear, we’ve got a hack to make cleaning your ceiling fan easy and free of mess. You could use a special ceiling fan duster but often they only succeed in moving the dust to a different location – like your floor or your couch.
Have you tried using a pillowcase to clean your ceiling fan? Make sure you use an old one that no one cares about. Simply slip the pillowcase over the fan blades one at a time and pull it toward you while applying pressure against the surface of the fan blade. The pillowcase will pick up and contain all the dust. You may need to repeat a few times for neglected fans.
Ceiling Fan Repair and Installation in Colorado
Call or Contact Applewood today. One of our licensed technicians can diagnose existing fan problems or install a new fan to improve the air circulation in your home.