Whether you’re looking for lighting, cooling or just décor, a ceiling fan can offer an attractive, functional edge to any room. You wouldn’t necessarily expect the numerous benefits that a ceiling fan can offer to come from a piece of equipment that has become standard in most modern homes, but there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye.
1. Wide-Angle Lighting
Good lighting is hard to find these days. More and more homes, from houses to condominiums, are being built with minimal lighting installations. The intent is usually to allow the homeowner the opportunity to choose their own lighting fixtures in order to suit their unique sense of interior design, but this decorative freedom causes many new homeowners to be trapped by poor lighting in their dining areas, family rooms – even the bedroom can fall victim to the low yellow glow of an incandescent table lamp.
While there are many ceiling fans that exist just to serve the purpose of a fan, companies like Lumens offer multifunction ceiling fan installations that include bright, broad lighting, enough to chase the shadows out of every corner of your den. The key is that ceiling fan lights utilize up to four bulbs in a single installation—using 40 watt “daylight” CFL bulb offers the brightness of an old 100 watt incandescent light bulb with less than half the energy output, and a more natural hue. This makes sure that your carefully designed home doesn’t have its colors ruined by dim yellow lighting at night, and helps your eyes by offering cool natural lighting.
2. Cut Down on the Costs of Climate Control
Even if you have a central cooling and heating system, installing a ceiling fan can help cut your costs by a noticeable margin. Since a ceiling fan uses the same amount of power as a standard 100 watt light bulb, —or less, if you go for greener options—not only is it energy efficient on its own, but it also takes the strain off your climate control system to keep air moving through the home. According to House Logic, for every degree the thermostat creeps above 78 degrees, you can say up to eight percent on cooling costs. It may sound small-scale, but it adds up quickly; if your fan keeps you cool enough to leave your air conditioner at 83 degrees through the summer, which could cut your cooling costs by 40 percent!
It’s not just cooling, either. Since hot air rises, a proper heating system runs off forced air; a good ceiling fan also helps move heated air down to your level in the winter, helping you keep warm and toasty without cranking up the heater to 90 degrees just to keep Jack Frost off your nose.
3. Pest Control
This one might come as a surprise to many homeowners, but a good ceiling fan, in the right place, can actually serve as a deterrent to some common pests found around the home in the spring and summer: namely, insects. Mosquitos, gnats and flies are some of the worst summertime pests, and can ruin a family grilling party on the back patio.
Installing a ceiling fan in the ceiling of a roofed patio moves enough air to deter the smaller—and most annoying—flying pests from interfering with your Independence Day barbeque. If you decide to install a ceiling fan in an outdoor or partially outdoor location, remember to get the right kind of fan. Oregon Live recommends a fan that UL-listed for outdoor use, with the proper moisture rating for your climate. A “damp climate” rating is sufficient for most outdoor installations, but if you live in a humid area like the Northwest United States, or down in the swamplands of Florida, a “wet location” rating would probably be best.
All Benefit, No Risk
There are, of course, other benefits not listed here. Lifestyle.com cited ceiling fans as being more space-saving than a standard fan, being installed on the ceiling instead of propped up from the floor. If you’re feeling a little environmentally conscious, you can even get a fan with blades made of ethically sourced wood, recycled steel or even plastic—the last of which offers the added safety features of the blades being lightweight, easy to replace and repair as needed, and move just as much air as a more traditional material. When it comes to choosing the right fan for your home, there’s no shortage of ideal designs and construction methods to choose from.
If you live in an older home, or are just looking for a way to cut down on cooling costs, a ceiling fan may be just what the doctor ordered. There are thousands of options to match the décor of any home, so don’t let your aesthetic hold you back. With so many great benefits and installation that gets easier all the time, there’s no reason to say no.
