Fans: Blowing in the wind

Your best friend in a heatwave!

And that moving air helps sweat evaporate. Fans can make it feel a full 4.5°C cooler than it actually is!

Fans aren’t air conditioners though. They won’t actually bring down the temperature in the room, unless they’re in a spot where they’re drawing cooler air in from outside. So there’s no point in leaving a fan on when you leave the room or the house. Turn it off when you leave: you’ll save energy.

If you want something that actually brings the temperature down, read our tips for buying an air conditioner.

Choosing a ceiling fan

Ceiling fans help make your home more comfortable, and not just in the summer! They can actually bring down your air conditioning and heating bills.

In the summer, a ceiling fan is more efficient as it pushes the air in the entire room downwards and creates a cool breeze. The blades rotate counterclockwise. In the winter, you’ll want your fan turning clockwise at a slower speed. This will draw air up to the ceiling so that the hot air, which tends to rise, is pushed back downwards and distributed evenly throughout the room.

Your main buying criterion: Fan size

To be effective, your fan needs to be the right size for the room it will be installed in. The bigger the room, the longer the blades will need to be. The most common ceiling fan on the market is 52"in diameter.

Other things to consider

Getting a fan that’s the right size is a good start, but you also need to make sure it will create a good breeze. The main criteria to consider in that regard is the number of blades, their dimension, and their angle (ideally 12–15 degrees) as well as the speed of the fan.

Note also that there are two main types of motors:

• With sealed, permanently lubricated bearings
• With unsealed bearings (need to be oiled)

Motors in the first category (with sealed, permanently lubricated bearings) require little or no maintenance. They’re usually better quality.

Fans come in a range of horsepowers:

• Basic: can be used in rooms with 8ft. ceilings and must not be left on for more than 8 hours
• Mid level: designed to be left on for no more than 12 hours
• High performance: bigger, stronger, less noisy, and can run continuously

The higher the horsepower, the longer the fan can be left on.

Most fans have a “reverse” mode, which means the blades can spin in either direction. That way, they can be used in summer and in winter.

Ceiling fans usually have three speeds, so depending on the weather (and your preferences), you can create a light breeze or a serious draft! And you have three options for operating the fan: a pull chain, a wall switch, or a remote control.

Proper installation is key!

Ideally, your ceiling fan should be installed at a height of 2.4m to 3m (8 to 10ft.) from the floor, and never less than 2.1m (7ft.). The fan also needs a minimum clearance of 46cm (18in.) from the closest wall or the lower part of a pitched ceiling.

Since your fan can weigh up to 22kg (50lb.), it needs to be securely fastened to a ceiling joist. If your joists are in the wrong place for the fan, attach it to an adjustable support brace or a plank of wood spanning two joists. It’s also a good idea to choose a fan with a steel safety cable. The fan must be wired to an electrical box that is installed and secured to standard. Remember: Your electrical work should always be done by a master electrician.

Don’t install the blades until the fan is in place. Blades are usually factory balanced. But if the fan starts to wobble, you’ll need to adjust it. Most fans come with a kit for checking their centre of gravity. And of course, make sure the blades are properly aligned and secured to the rotor.

Need advice on fans? If you’re a CAA-Quebec member, you can call our Residential Advisory Services as often as you like!

How to deal with a noisy fan

Some fans are fairly noisy. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell if a fan is quiet when you’re in the store since there’s usually no indication of the number of decibels it produces. Even in stores where you can see the fan in action, you may not be able to hear it, since stores have a lot of ambient noise.

If your fan makes noise once it’s installed at home, especially if it makes more noise at a certain speed, it’s probably unbalanced. If that’s the case, you have some options. Start by measuring the distance between each blade and the ceiling to see if one of the blades is off. You may need to tighten the blades or balance the fan using the balancing kit.

Choosing a portable fan

If you need a cool breeze to battle that 32°C heat but you don’t want to install a ceiling fan, a portable fan is the way to go. A portable fan is the way to go. Portable fans are nice as you can take them with you as you go from room to room.

What type of fan do you want?

There are two main types of portable fans. The difference is in the way they move air. Classic pedestal fans, available as a pedestal, table, or floor fan or on wheels, have blades that spin around an axis, like the propeller on a plane. The head can be stationary or can move from side to side.

There are also centrifugal or “squirrel cage” fans that move air in a direction determined by the position of the fan using centrifugal force.

The main buying criteria: Performance and durability

There are a whole lot of portable fans on the market. So how do you pick one? There are a few things you should look for. Good fans create a strong, targeted airflow. The settings need to allow you to vary that airflow to a noticeable degree. For better ventilation, the fan also needs to have an oscillating mode and a stationary mode.

You should also look at the fan’s durability. Good fans are made of strong materials, especially the plastic, and the buttons are durable. And heavier bases provide greater stability. Some fans have a built-in timer.

Fans that are more powerful, but not necessarily louder

Fans do make noise, but a more powerful fan doesn’t necessarily make more noise. So don’t buy a less powerful fan because you’re worried about the noise.

A lot of pedestal fans start to make noise when the fasteners on the protective grill come loose. A few turns of the screwdriver to tighten them up may be all it takes to solve the problem. Of course, not all models are equal in terms of noise so talk to your retailer or read the online comments and reviews. 

Tips for staying comfortable on really hot days

• Put a bowl filled with ice cubes or a few bottles of ice-cold water in front your portable fan and use a spray bottle to spray water on your face for an extra-cool breeze
• Keep windows, blinds, and curtains closed to keep the sun out
• Open the windows in the evening if the outside air is cooler
• Avoid sources of heat: Try not to use the oven (cook on the barbecue or use a crockpot), turn your computer off rather than leaving it in sleep mode, and hang clothes outside to dry
• Use a dehumidifier to keep indoor humidity levels low (the ideal range is below 60%)