If you just don’t have the funds for air conditioning installation, let alone the electric bill that goes with it, a ceiling fan is your next best bet. While you’ll still have to fork out on your power bill, it will cost a fraction of air conditioning usage.

The difficult part is nailing down which type of ceiling fan to choose for your home. With so many choices on the market today, the task can seem slightly overwhelming. 

Luckily, this blog on how to choose a ceiling fan to suit your home and your specific needs should help. 

How to Choose a Ceiling Fan on a Budget 

First thing’s first, you’re going to have to consider your ceiling fan spending allowance. Depending on the size of your budget, this should really narrow down your choices. 

In today’s day and age, you can get your hands on a ceiling fan for as little as $50. It may not be the best quality, but it will do the job. Here’s what to expect based on a basic budget outline: 

• A $100 ceiling fan: for this amount, you’ll get the basic, traditional ceiling fan with a pull-chain control system 
• A $200 ceiling fan: with this type of budget, you have more choice on style, finish, and lighting control options 
• A $300 ceiling fan: you’ll have a large range of choice, improved functionality and performance, accessories, and fan control 

Aside from cooling down a particular room in your home, a ceiling fan can add an element of design and aesthetics, too. If you have a particular room theme you’d like to stick to, simple is always best when it comes to ceiling fan design. 

How to Choose the Ideal Ceiling Fan Size 

Ceiling fans come in a variety of sizes — they tend to vary in width depending on the blade span and range from 14 to 72-inches across. Choosing the size of a fan depends on the square foot measurement of your specific room. It also depends on the height of your roof. 

As a good rule-of-thumb, you always want to ensure that your fan is slightly oversized, rather than undersized for the room. An undersized fan is very noticeable and will also be pretty pointless in terms of cooling down the space. 

If you want to find the perfect size, measure the square footage of your room by multiplying the length and width of the room. It’s also important to measure the ceiling height and take that into consideration when choosing the style of your ceiling fan. 

Remember that the mount of your fan also affects how low it hangs — which should be at least 7-feet above the floor. Some of the most common mount styles include:

• Flush mount — this is best for rooms with a ceiling height of 8-feet or less, i.e. a low-profile ceiling 
• Standard mount — this type of fan is perfect for rooms with a ceiling height of 8-10 feet and uses a downrod for installation
• An extended downrod — if your ceiling is higher than 10-feet, then you’ll need a ceiling fan with an extended downrod 

Fitting a fan to a sloped ceiling is also not uncommon. It may seem like a sloped ceiling cannot accommodate a ceiling fan, but all you need is a sloped ceiling fan adapter. Most ceiling fans are sold with a ceiling mount that can adapt to slightly sloped ceilings, too.

This does depend on the manufacturer of the fan, though. You also want to keep the blade span and the room’s size in mind. As mentioned, a ceiling fan that’s too small will struggle to move air around the room. On the other hand, if the fan is too large, this can waste energy and cause too much wind in the room.

Here are a few additional sizing tips to help you choose your ideal fan size:

• Make sure there is at least 8-10 inches between your fan blades and the ceiling 
• Keep your fan blades approximately 18-inches away from your walls 
• Install your fan at a minimum of 7-feet above the floor 
• Ensure there are at least 39-inches between fan blades and light fixtures 

Now, depending on your needs and budget, you may want to combine the function of a ceiling fan with a light source. Learn more about the best ceiling fan lights to choose from below. 

Top Ceiling Fan Light Choices 

If your room is filled with good natural light or is already fitted with downlights or some other light fixture, you might choose to forgo the ceiling fan/light combination.

At the end of the day, this boils down to personal preference. But just bear in mind that choosing a fan with a light makes for extra energy consumption. Ceiling fans today come with a huge range of lighting choices, but some of the most popular and energy-efficient include:

LED Lighting

This is probably the best choice you can make if energy consumption is an important consideration to you. LED lights are well-known for how little energy they use and have a lifespan of a whopping 50,000 hours. 

LED lights emit a cool or warm, glowy light, depending on the LED bulbs you choose.

Fluorescent Lighting 

This is a great alternative to incandescent light bulbs, as fluorescent bulbs use almost 75 percent less energy. They also have a great lifespan and can last up to 10,000 hours.

The only downside is that fluorescent lighting can be a little harsh, but it’s great for task lighting if that’s the type of light you’re looking for. 

Halogen Lighting 

When compared to your regular, incandescent bulbs, halogen lights used 15 percent less energy. They may not be as economical or environmentally-friendly as LED lights, but they still have a decent lifespan of about 1,500 hours. 

Halogen lights give off a warm, natural glow and are ideal for low-hanging fans.

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Jane