Category Archives: Ceiling Fans

Most homes today have some type of ceiling fan but knowing how to use it properly year round is another thing. Ceiling fans can help your home stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. They can help you have an energy efficient home. When combined with a lighting system they add light to a room and come in many different types of designs to add beauty as well. Here are some ceiling fan tips to help make sure you are using yours correctly.

Keeping Things Cool

During warmer weather you want your ceiling fan cooling your room so it needs to be circulating in the right direction. This is typically counterclockwise. Most ceiling fans have a switch that allows you to reverse the direction the blades are moving. The best speed setting is high. You can tell if it is moving the right way if you can feel a breeze when you stand under it. Fans differ in how they work so check the book that came with yours to see which direction it should be going to create the breeze effect.

Keeping Things Warm

During the colder months, you want to reverse the direction. This means the fan will pull the warm air at the top up and over, mixing it with the cool air. This provides for a steadier temperature and a less work for your heating systems.

Raise The Temperature

If you do run your ceiling fans all the time in the summer you can raise your temperature setting. The fan will help keep the air moving and a breeze going which makes you feel cooler even if the temperature is set a bit higher.

Not at Home?

To save energy and money turn your ceiling fans off when you are not going to be home. It does not take them long to get the air moving when you switch them back on so there is no sense in running them when no one is home.

Lighting Tip

If you are purchasing a brand new ceiling it is wise just to get a unit with the light fixture. If a room needs a ceiling fan it most like needs the extra lighting as well. Yale Lighting Concepts can help you with all your ceiling fan and lighting needs so give us a call or visit our website today.

Most homeowners know that ceiling fans can save energy in the summer. But did you know that ceiling fans can save energy all year?

In the Warmer Months

Ceiling fans have direction switches, so depending on the model of your fan, switch the direction of the fan blades so that when you stand under it, you feel a breeze. Then turn your thermostat on your air conditioner up a few degrees. When you are in the room, the circulating air will make you feel cooler, while not actually reducing the temperature.

The caveat to these savings: make sure you turn the ceiling fan off when you leave the room for long periods of time. If no one is there to enjoy the moving air, having a fan running is wasted energy.

In the Colder Months

When the air turns cool, your fan can still create energy savings. Warm air rises in a room, and without good circulation, that warmer air can end up staying near the ceiling instead of warming the people on the sofa. If you flip the direction switch on your fan, your ceiling fan blades will rotate in the opposite direction (you should not feel a breeze). The fan will begin to circulate the stagnant warm air throughout the room. The result? Warm air mixes with cooler air, and those in the room will feel a more even temperature.

To achieve maximum energy efficiency, there are several other considerations when choosing a ceiling fan. Are the blades at the proper length for the room? Will you hang your fan at the appropriate height in the room?

If you want to make the right decision for your living space, contact us. We will be happy to help you choose the perfect ceiling fan.

With warmer weather on the way, any opportunity to keep cool without cranking on the A/C is a win. To keep your home comfortable and energy bills in check, nothing quite beats the ceiling fan. Today’s ceiling fans are affordable, easy-to-install and quieter than ever. Plus, they can help you save up to 40% on your energy bills in the summer. It’s no wonder we’re such fans!

Shopping for a new fan? Want to get the most from your home’s existing ceiling fans? Here are some tips for savings throughout the seasons:

1. Size Up Your Fan. Rooms up to 75 square feet, like a bathroom, do best with a fan 36″ or smaller. Medium-sized rooms up to 144 square feet can fit ceiling fans from 36″- 42″. Larger bedrooms and family rooms around 225 square feet are most efficient with fans that are 50″- 54″.*
2. Choose the Right Downrod. Downrods are used to position a fan for optimal efficiency and stability. As a general rule, blades should be positioned eight to nine feet from the floor. That means that ceilings higher than nine feet will require a downrod extension.
3. Enjoy Year-Round Comfort. In the summer, operate your ceiling fan in the counter-clockwise direction to create a wind chill factor. In the winter, operate it at a low speed in the clockwise direction to force warm air near the ceiling down into the room.
4. Buy with Confidence. The key to a long-lasting ceiling fan is a quality motor. Look for one with a manufacturer’s warranty. Blade pitch and construction are also important. Go for more angled blades (12 to 15 degrees or greater) constructed of hardwood.
5. Turn It Off. Ceiling fans don’t alter a room’s temperature; they just create a wind chill that makes it feel that way. When you leave the room, there’s no need to keep your fan running. Turn it off to save energy.

For more on getting the most from your ceiling fans, the lighting experts at Yale Lighting Concepts & Design are here to help. Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern New Jersey or browse our huge selection of ceiling fans and fan accessories.

* Source – American Lighting Association