Sizing Lighting and Ceiling Fans For Your House

There are many factors to consider before buying lighting and ceiling fans for your house. Some people consider lighting just to brighten the room and ceiling fans to decorate. However, to use lighting and ceiling fans effectively, you should first look at the ceiling height, the room’s square footage, the number of blades for the fan, coupling lights with fans, how many lights or ceiling fans in a room as well as a few other factors to maximize the effectiveness of the lighting and ceiling fans for your house.

Your Room’s Square Footage and the Recommended Blade Length

Of course, it really depends on what kind of environment you are trying to create in the space where you are placing lights and ceiling fans. In a large space, you can use the maximum-watt light bulbs and ceiling fan blade lengths and control them with remote switches and sensors to create the effect you desire. However, putting an oversized ceiling fan in a small space is a waste of money. You should first determine the square footage of the room before shopping for lighting and ceiling fans for your house.

How do you determine square footage? Simple – multiply the length of the room times the width. Say your room is 12 feet by 12 feet, the square footage is 144. Another variable for ceiling fans is the number of blades. Ceiling fans normally have 3 to 5 blades. When the ceiling fan you would like to buy has an even number of blades, measure the overall length from blade tip to opposing blade tip. When there is an odd number of blades, measure from the center of the fan to the outside of a blade and multiply by two. Whatever number you come up with is the blade span. Buy the recommended blade length for your room based on the following.

For 144 up to 225 square feet, you want to use a blade span of 44 to 54 inches. An area of 225 to 400 square feet would require 50- to 72-inch blades. A room greater than 400 square feet would require more than one ceiling fan to effectively move the air in these large rooms. Rooms with less than 75 square feet of space, should use 29- to 36-inch blades or none. It’s your choice. In a room of 76 to 144 square feet, you should use 36- to 44-inch blades

How High Should You Hang the Ceiling Fans?

Although some people believe you should not hang a ceiling fan in a room where the ceiling is less than seven feet high, it really depends on what you will use the room for and personal choice. However, there are certain requirements that should be adhered to when hanging a fan in a room with a low ceiling, such as the fan blades should be no closer than 18 inches from the wall and the fan should be mounted flush, with no down rod. Additionally, putting a ceiling fan over the bed or table in a room with a low ceiling can be hazardous when making the bed or changing the tablecloth. Many of us, out of habit, like to shake the blankets, tablecloth, or sheets upward when making the bed or changing the tablecloth to spread it out as much as possible. This can lead to getting the sheet, blanket, or tablecloth caught in one of the turning blades. So, be mindful of that.
With eight-foot ceilings and sloping ceilings, choose a low-profile fan. With those nine- to eighteen-foot ceilings you may wish to add a down rod. For a room of more than 300 square feet, you might want to consider using more than one fan.

Whether or not you use lighting and ceiling fans combined is a personal choice. Although lights usually add expense to a ceiling fan and create shadows, some of them are very decorative and add a classy look to the ceiling fans. It all boils down to personal choice when combining lighting and ceiling fans.

Use of Down rods for Lighting and Ceiling Fans

Which down rod should you use for lighting and ceiling fans? The use of a down rod for any lighting is usually a personal choice but might be necessary, depending on what you are trying to highlight with the lighting. Down rods used to project lighting at paintings or other decorative items can place the light exactly where it needs to be to highlight your wall-hangings. Down rods for ceiling fans, however, depend on the ceiling height. With an 8-foot ceiling, use only a 3-inch down rod; 9-foot uses 3-6 inches; 10-foot, 12 inches; 12-foot, 24 inches. Also, add a foot to the down rod length for each foot of ceiling height.

Of course, there are variables, such as the slope of the ceiling and more, but that can come down to a personal choice or a contractor recommendation. Whatever the length of the down rod you use, it should never lower your ceiling fan past seven feet from floor to fan, to avoid mishaps and still provide cooling for the room’s inhabitants.

Contact Us if You Cannot D-I-Y

Sometimes, lighting and ceiling fans need a little extra personal care in hanging or determining what is appropriate to maximize airflow and ambiance for your home. Contact Tell Projects for efficient and competent professionals who will complete the task with minimal disruption and we will return everything else back to normal before we go. Check out our website or send an email, info@tellprojectstx.com. At Tell Projects, we have the knowledge and expertise to make your project perfect. Call (832) 730-2471 for a free consultation.
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