Cooling Off with Paddle Fans

By Paul Bianchina

One of the most popular amenities in today's homes is the ceiling-mounted paddle fan. For circulating heat, cooling a room, lighting up a space, or just as a pleasant decorating touch, paddle fans offer something for just about every home, taste and budget.

Shopping

When shopping for a paddle fan, there are several things to take into consideration. Perhaps the most basic decision is one of size, which is governed by the size of the room and the intended use of the fan. A small bedroom with a low ceiling, for example, might only need a three-blade, 30" fan (the size refers to the overall diameter of the fan blades), while a large living room with a high vaulted ceiling might be better served by a fan that has five blades and is 48" or even larger.

Along with your decision on the size of the fan is the choice of overall length, which is the distance that the fan hangs down from the ceiling. The shortest fan is the ceiling-hugger, which mounts close up against the ceiling in rooms that don't have much ceiling height. For taller ceilings, the fan can be mounted on an extension pole - common pole lengths are six and 12 inches, although other lengths are available as well.

Except for some fans at the low-end of the price spectrum, almost all of today's units feature a reversible motor. Reversible motors allow the fan to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise - since the fan blades are angled, like an airplane propeller, that means that the fan has the capability of either pushing air down or pulling air up. Suppose, for example, that you have a home with a high vaulted ceiling and operable clerestory windows. In the winter, you can use the fan to push trapped heat at the top of the vault down into the room. In the summer, the motor is reversed to pull warm air up toward the ceiling and out the windows.

Another desirable and increasingly common feature is a multiple or variable speed motor. This allows you to adjust the speed that the blades rotate, increasing or decreasing the amount of air being moved by the fan. Hand-in-hand with the multiple speeds is the type of control that the fan comes with. The simplest controls are pull chains, one of which turns the fan on or off and also increases rotation speeds, while a second chain activates the lights if so equipped. Motor rotation is selected with a switch mounted directly on the motor.

More expensive fans typically have wall-mounted controls, which allow you to turn the fan on and off, control speed and direction, and activate and even dim the lights - a real advantage for fans that are mounted high up on a vaulted ceiling.

Another choice is whether or not you want a light kit. Most fans are sold without a light attached, but are prewired for the light kit to make installation easy. You can add the light immediately, or at any time in the future - several sizes and styles are available, ranging from a basic one- or two-bulb drum light to three, four or five lights on individual arms.

With all that decided on, the final selection comes down to one of appearance. You'll find fans in polished brass, antique brass, chrome, and any of a variety of colors. The blades can be purchased in white or any of several wood tones, some with wicker accents. There are lots of different light styles available, and you can also get specialized fans with football or baseball lights, cartoon pictures, and lots of other styles to fit any type of room.

Installation

Lighter-weight fans can be mounted directly to standard ceiling boxes in place of the original ceiling light. Larger fans, especially ones with light kits attached, can be quite heavy, and are often too much weight for a standard box. In those cases, specially reinforced or braced boxes need to be used - consult with the dealer where you buy the fan for their recommendations on the proper type of box to use.

Fans with multi-function switches may require multiple wires between the fan and the switch so consult the instruction booklet or talk with your dealer before completing any wiring installations.