Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just moved into a new (to us) home. We downsized from a large 2 zone house.
This is a good sized townhouse, but with one zone heat a/c.
the upstairs where the bedrooms are, is much warmer than the main floor.
I have always wanted a ceiling fan in the Master Bedroom anyway and this sure seems like the right thing to do.
I have never had a ceiling fan, so just starting to look into it and wondering if you can share any good pointers of what to look for? different features? etc.
We do have a very fine electrician doing some other work who will do the install. We think we want remote and wall switch (not the pull chains).
The Bedroom is a good size approx 12 by 18 or so.
The Bed is towards the middle of the room but definitely NOT in the center.
IF there is a existing ceiling light fixture
I would do is make sure he uses a ceiling fan BRACKET not just hang the fan from the old ceiling light fixture.
IF there is no ceiling light fixture make sure he uses a ceiling fan bracket.
If the house is wired for a ceiling light/fan make sure the box is for a fan not a light
I would look for a fan with long blades that has multiple speeds. The closer the fan is to the ceiling the less effective it is. If you have a low ceiling (8 foot), in such case you’ll need a hugger or low profile fan. You may want to look into dropping it down away from the ceiling for more effective cooling . You’ll need to follow minimum height (7 ft) which would be pretty hard if you have low ceilings
So I am confused- we do have 8 foot ceilings and was hearing that it should be flush mounted? the posts from the bed are 18 inches "ish" from ceiling. Most of the fans seem to be about 12 to 18 inches high........I figure the 18 inch would not work. Electrician4you is suggesting dropping it down?? And to clarify there is no ceiing fixture (light or fan) there so this is a new install. The electrician we are using comes very highly recommended so am I wrong to assume the installation will be proper and appropriate? Do I need to specify anything additional?
My understanding is that we agreed to have a wall switch and remote.
Get a hugger style fan, that way later when you’re moving furniture around you won’t be bumping into it. I have a hugger style fan in my bedroom and on medium speed it moves plenty enough air to make a breeze.
So I am confused- we do have 8 foot ceilings and was hearing that it should be flush mounted? the posts from the bed are 18 inches "ish" from ceiling. Most of the fans seem to be about 12 to 18 inches high........I figure the 18 inch would not work. Electrician4you is suggesting dropping it down?? And to clarify there is no ceiing fixture (light or fan) there so this is a new install. The electrician we are using comes very highly recommended so am I wrong to assume the installation will be proper and appropriate? Do I need to specify anything additional?
My understanding is that we agreed to have a wall switch and remote.
If the ceiling is flat and there is anything close to it (those tall bedposts) probably best to use a flush mount fan. Basically this type has no "pole" at all or at most a very short one. There will just be the mount itself attached to the ceiling and the fan housing below it. If it's centered correctly over the bed the bedposts shouldn't interfere with the fan blades. You may have to pick a fan with shorter blades too. If you are still unsure, maybe ask the electrician to do some measurements and make suggestions on the best type to buy. Flush mounts come in lots of "styles" and colors.
I'm an electrician and I recommend against remotes. They just tend to get lost.
I've had people move into a new house wondering why their fan doesn't work and the reason was because the previous owners must've packed it up and hauled it with them.
In another incident where a tenant did the same thing the poor landlord had to pay for our time and I remember him being really ticked about that (would he waste time trying to get the remote back!?). We gave him a wall control and had to pop the canopy down on the fan to remove the receiver and bypass it. Fortunately the fan was compatible with having it's motor and light switched separately (a lot of the remoted fans do not have a separate wire for their light)
You want a basic fan without a remote, definitely without a receiver for that remote, and you want an aftermarket wall control, preferably made by Lutron or another reputable brand like Leviton. Make sure your electrician runs a 14-3 even if you do plan on going the route with the remote: it's nice to have that extra switchleg already up there either for your future or for the next person down the line.
Technically, by code, ceiling fan blades cannot be lower than 7' off the finished floor. Even still most fans with a 3" downrod (aka, the "pole" the poster above me mentioned) will work out to have the blades something like 11.5" down from the ceiling (so 7', 0.5" off the floor) to accommodate that code. There's often no reason to get a "hugger", and I personally think they look old and "dated". They're more of a pain in the butt to install too, and really they just do not look sleek.
We bought ceiling fans by Quorum at a lighting store about 17 years ago, and they've worked perfectly ever since. They're super quiet and don't vibrate at all. Three of the four bedrooms have the wall switch. We didn't do that for the master bedroom, however, but instead got a remote. Maybe we should have done the wall switch there too, but regardless, the remote stays on the night stand and hasn't gotten lost yet.
I honestly have never found a use for a remote. I set mine on medium every night, and if I get a little cool I just pull the blanket up a little. I have enough remotes to keep up with already, don’t need another for a fan.
We originally had a remote for the fan in our kitchen. We hated it. We were always fumbling around, trying to find it, hoping the dogs hadn't chewed it up, etc. We had our electrician wire the fan to a wall switch, and life was good again.
Well there seems to be an overwhelming vote that remotes are not at all the be all and end all.
So here is my 9th dumb question- is the wall switch like a dimmer switch then to control the speed ? That is what I thought I would use the remote for- less on and off but perhaps for adjusting.
Again, forgive the ignorance here as this is the first time for us to have a ceiling fan. We have always admired them and thought they made sense but beyond that- clueless.
While I can not help with any technical stuff my large for 2/1 home was remodeled by a previous owner....he extended the kitchen and above my long picnic table like kitchen table are 2 ceiling fans with both a chain and a wall switch..I use the wall switch.....another one on the opposite end of the kitchen as well ....another one in the living room with chain only and one in my guest bedroom with a wall switch as well as a chain....No remotes
They are simply amazing...so much so I would never purchase another home without them...and each summer I also install 2 window A/C units...one in my master bedroom and 1 in my large kitchen as i like to be cool at all times.....but the fans are great along with the a/c or even alone on many days.
The name on my fans say The Hampton Bay Fan Co. and in the going on 15 years I have been in my home they are as quiet, wobble free, efficient and totally trouble free since the day I bought the house....and that is with constant use spring to autumn.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
