How to Pick Ceiling Fans

Series Summary

Is it so hot at night that you can’t sleep, even though the air conditioning is running full blast and you’re lying on top of the covers? Does the air in your home seem stale or dusty? Do you want to save money on your energy bill? Does the ceiling just need a little something extra? Well, maybe what you need is a ceiling fan. Now you too can live in the style afforded ancient royalty—but instead of servants waving palm branches in your face and feeding you grapes as you recline in your purple velvet gilded divan, you just pull on a chain and the fan springs into action, bringing you a calming breeze and getting the air moving in a room.

In these free diy home improvement videos, learn how to install a ceiling fan in your home. Our expert will show you what to consider when choosing a fan, what tools you’ll need, how to turn the power off, electrical wiring tips, how to assemble the fan blades, how to add a light fixture, and other helpful hints you’ll need when installing a ceiling fan for the first time. Pretty soon you’ll be enjoying the cool breeze on a warm summer’s day.

Video Transcript

"Hello! My name is Adolph Ramirez from Tampa, Florida and on behalf of Expert Village, this is how to install a ceiling fan. Some of the things that you need to consider before selecting a new fan for your home are fan size height from the ceiling, blades, motor, lights, finish and warranty. I will go through each one of those through more detail. The fan size; for maximum and efficiency, choose a fan to fit your room size. In a room up to 75 square feet like a bathroom, use a 29 to 36 inch fan. Medium sized room up to 144 square fit can fit ceiling fans from 36 inches to 42 inches. The larger bedrooms and family rooms around 225 square feet work most efficiently with fans that are 50 to 54 inches. The height from the ceiling; place the fan higher than 7 feet above the floor in the middle of the room more maximum comfort, circulation, safety and ecstatics. Optimal placement would be either 8 or 9 feet from the floor. Selecting the blades; fan blades determine the amount of air being circulated throughout the room. The fan blade bracket should be positioned to hold the blade at a 12 to 15 degree angle for optimal circulation and be weighed and matched as a balanced set to avoid having your fan wobble. A fan with less than a 12 degree angle will not circulate air as well and be less efficient. The greater the angle of the blade, the more circulation you will have in your room. Blade should be made with wood or acrylic and be sealed and treated to resist humidity. The motor; the heart of every ceiling fan is the motor. The motor is responsible for producing quite operations while driving the blades for air movement. Look for high quality motors with heavy duty windings and sealed bearings that are permanently lubricated. Smaller less powerful motor found on low quality fans may produce higher operating temperatures, lower air circulation and noisier operation. Motors are designed to work flawlessly for long periods of time and should have a long lasting life. The lights; to add the finishing touches, choose from classic temporary lights to compliment the look of your fan. Light kits can also be added or custom designed to match your home decor. Finish; finish makes the fan blades more durable. A high quality finish will resist against blistering, tarnishing and corrosion. Less advanced finishing on the fan blades can be very fragile and start to peel, bubble or corrode quickly. Brass finished are long lasting, scratch resistant and never need polishing. Paint to finishes are rich, thick and durable as a result of advanced painting process. And lastly, the warranty. When you choose to purchase, look for a good warranty for the life of your fan. Some fan manufacturer's offer a life time warranty and in home service. "