Ceiling fan for home
One of the greatest achievements of the Industrial Revolution, theceiling fan also called by some as the ceiling fan. It remains one of the most sensible solutions for home comfort, despite having other much more sophisticated and modern competitors.
After more than a century, it is still an effective device in the home cooling, which, in addition, can also be used in winter.
More important is the practical side of the fan, its healthy appearance (Remember the article on negative effects of air conditioning on health) or energy saving, they use very little electricity!
Fans provide significant savings in electricity bills when compared to the cost of air conditioning
To choose the best device for domestic ventilation, we have to look at some important aspects. And we start by knowing the types …
Types of home fans
Although nowadays the variations of form and models in the types of ceiling fan We can count almost hundreds of them adapting to any situation or embedding themselves in any object or part of the house, it is true that from the perspective of the home cooling, we could distinguish the following types:
within a ceiling fan model - which is the case study - we can find some variations that respond to technical or useful solutions:
- Indoor or outdoor. Although practically all those that are sold in the market (Examples of Ikea, Leroy Merlin, Corte Ingles … etc) are for the interior of the house, there are also models that are used for terraces and gardens whose technical differences mainly affect their resistance to atmospheric conditions.
- Depending on the type of control and ignition. They are distinguished in: Ignition by means of a remote control, ignition by switch or chain drive that hangs from the center of the device. (See home automation applications)
- With simple system. They are those that only include their blades and a motor. They are the cheapest in range.
- Fans with light. The system includes the motor, blades and one or more lights. These electrical appliances have a ceiling integrated into the base where bulbs can be placed. The intention is to supply the conventional light point. (See the home led bulb)
- According to decorative style. To enable adaptation to the home from the perspective of decoration, we have a wide range of finishes on the market, both in materials and in more straight or curved lines.
And look now … What should we take into account before buying a fan?
Which ceiling fan is better
1. Angle of fan blades
Is he angle where the blade directs the wind. It is a technical aspect that every manufacturer must have had an impact on whose value is decisive on the aerodynamic efficiency, determined by the so-called angle of attack.
2. Shape and size
A wider blade will create more air movement with a steeper stride. Finding the right size, according to the space of the room, is the ideal way to choose your fan … What size fan do I need for a room?
In addition, the height of the ceiling does matter before an installation and for higher ceilings, we will need a vertical rod that will take the blades of the ventilator to a minimum distance and thus be able to feel the air flow movement.
3. RPM Revolutions per minute
It is the speed with which the blades of the device rotate at a given speed. Here the motor plays an important role that is usually coupled with the price of the device … What speed of rotation do I need in a fan?… Each room requires an appropriate range of fan rotation speeds:
Always remember to see the instructions provided by the manufacturer, they are essential both for the installation, the technical characteristics or to understand the correct operation of the device and its possibilities.
Remember that fan motors emit heat, so it is important to use them sparingly and properly.
4. How a fan motor works
The most powerful engines of the ceiling fans move more air, so these determine which ceiling fan gives more air. To see how ceiling fans workWe must first understand that there are two types of engine; The alternating current (AC) motor and direct current (DC) motor:
The advantages of a fan with a DC motor over one with an AC motor:
- They can use less energy, up to 70% less than a AC standard fan.
- They are generally extremely silent.
- They often have higher speeds and are also often quicker to start up, change gears, and stop. The reverse function is usually on the remote control.
- The motor is typically lighter and more compact, allowing for lighter designs.
- DC motors include remote control.
The advantages of a fan with an AC motor versus one with a DC motor:
- There are more models available in AC.
- DC, being a new technology, tends to be more expensive compared to an equivalent AC model.
- The AC fans They can generally be controlled by a wall control, a chain or a remote control, while the DC fans, can generally be controlled only with a remote control.
5. Its energy efficiency
In Europe, Regulation (EU) 2022/1369 establishes a framework for the Energy Labeling of energy consuming appliances in the home. Specifically, the part of the regulation that affects domestic ventilation units (Your query HERE) gives us the following labeling that we must consider in a purchase:
Remember that green is the most efficient and red is the least, and we also have to consider the issue of noise. Remember our article of 30 tips to save electricity at home, it is worth reading!
As data, there are two strategies to generate greater air movement, which are;
- Increase fan speed.
- Increase the size of the blade.
In both cases, the power consumption is increased, but increasing the fan speed increases the power consumption much more than increasing the blade size.
From the portal Ventiladorestecho.com they offer the following infographic that can be seen in an interesting summary with advice on these air conditioning systems.
6. What ceiling fan should I buy
The first premise is that we must meet our needs and each home has specific ones. It is not worth going to the store and buying the fan on sale.
These devices that remove the air in a room can also have other accessories; light, remote control, ventilation in winter, etc. You have to ask yourself a series of questions that meet your needs….
| Before buying, you have to ask yourself |
| What is the performance I need from the device? o What surface do I have to ventilate? |
| What energy efficiency scale do I want to buy? (Remember that the A +++ - Green, is the highest and, therefore, the most expensive) |
| What noise level do I want at most? (They are practically all very quiet, except for the cheapest) |
| What design does it have to have so that it adapts to the home decoration? |
| What extras do I want it to have? (Light - that is LED, remote control, that is reversible, number of fan speeds) |
Before buying, always compare prices. Look at the prices in large stores likeEnglish court, Ikea, Carrefour, Leroy Melin, Media Markt. And always look at the Amazon offers, sometimes, you can save a lot of euros.
The "cheap and quiet fans" roll, forget it! … It is the same as nice, cheap and good. We're not going anywhere.
You must compare devices and in several stores!… Look for brands recognized by manufacturers; Casafan, Westinghouse, Orbegozo, The Modern Fan, Lighthouse or high design brands such as Sintra or STem.
How much do the fans consume?
Power usage varies by model. Wattage consumption ranges from 15 to 30 watts at low speed, 30 to 50 watts at medium speed, and 50 to 100 watts at high speed. On average per year it consumes about 800 kWh.
In the following comparative table we can verify the difference in consumption per day and month, between different air conditioners and types of fans for home more common:
But what if we choose to invest more in an AC appliance with an ultra-efficient energy rating of A +++:
Remember that we are talking about a standard fan (Not A + rating, which represent 95% of sales)
How to clean the fan?
Keep in mind that we are in front of an electrical appliance and therefore it needs maintenance, the easiest way is to see the tips for cleaning a ceiling fan through the following infographic:
Why can we use a fan in summer or winter?
First we have to understand a simple question … Why do fans cool? They are actually considered fluid machines and cannot lower the air temperature, but, they can make people feel cooler.
The moving air serves to increase the sensation of cold, this movement favors the evaporation of moisture from the skin. Our sweat, when evaporating, "steals" part of the heat from the body, it's that simple! But… How does a ceiling fan work?
In truth, the trick is to change the movement of the direction of its blades … What is the correct direction of rotation for a fan?
- For summer or hot climates. The blades should turn counterclockwise. The air flow will be downward.
- In winter or cold climates. The blades must rotate like clockwise. The air flow will be upwards.
Not only do they provide us with thatfeeling of freshness during the hottest seasons, but also help us toimprove the energy efficiency of heating in winter, (See article on air conditioning systems for homes) since when the blades rotate clockwise, the fan raises the cold air in the room and when they rotate in the opposite direction, the fan raises the hot air .
How do you install?
If you are a DIY handyman, you can always learn how to install a ceiling fan through professionals and then practice it at home (See the following video by Leroy Merlin). If you do not dare, always remember to ask for an invoice to be able to claim if appropriate.
The advantages of installing this type of appliances to cool the home they are many compared to other more complex ones, but undoubtedly they are not as effective. The main advantages:
- Energy and economic savings
- Factors such as health
- Decorative appearance
- They provide effective aeration of the rooms
- Simple installation
- They are not noisy
- Avoid the concentration of humidity in bathrooms
- Drive away annoying mosquitoes and flies by the air stream
The mainadvantages of ceiling fans They are palpable that combined with the awnings that we can install at home (See advantages of using awnings in the home) they can be a very good solution to combat the heat.
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