Today's Ceiling Fan - Saving Energy and Setting the Mood

Modern ceiling fans are no longer the boring and bland objects they originally were. They're all grown up now - and available in a multitude of styles, colors, materials, and sizes. There's a ceiling fan for every décor. From animated cartoon related designs to race cars, safari themes, styling, exotic woods, sleek metallics, and more, ceiling fans offer instant upgrades to home design. There's a fan for every theme and every budget.

Cathedral ceilings or low ceilings, it's usually possible to find a ceiling fan to fit. Fans come in ceiling hugging styles for low ceilings and extensions are available for fans that are to be hung on a higher ceiling. Extensions are often used on fans in stairwells.

Ceiling fans aren't just for indoors anymore. Fans with 'wet' ratings feature sealed motor units and are made of weather resistant material, making them excellent choices for porches. Like indoor ceiling fans, outdoor ceiling fans come in a variety of styles, designs and colors.

Light kits allow ceiling fans to do double duty. From single to multi-bulb styles, it's possible to further affect the ambiance of a room (or porch) via light style and luminescence. Many fans come with reversible blades, allowing easy change of appearance. Like blades, globes can also be changed to reflect a different design or theme without the need to change out the fan itself.

While it's true that properly mounted ceiling fans can make a room feel as much as eight degrees cooler in the summer, ceiling fans with a reverse direction switch can push heated air back down into the room in the winter. Efficiency consultants suggest mounting ceiling fans in the center of the room, three to five inches from the ceiling and eight to nine feet above the floor.

Ceiling fan costs vary widely. View a mounted display fan if at all possible when selecting ceiling fans. Better quality fans tend to be quieter when running and vibrate less. The higher cost usually means a better quality, more powerful motor hence the better operation. Properly mounted ceiling fans do not wobble.

Energy efficient ceiling fans will carry the Energy Star symbol - an approval seal that means the ceiling fan will use fifty -percent less energy to operate than will fans without the seal. Experts suggest turning ceiling fans off when leaving the room. While they make the room feel cooler, they don't necessarily cool the room.

When shopping for ceiling fans, be prepared to take some time. There are many styles to choose from and it might take a bit of time to decide which best fits both intended decor and budget. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Have a licensed electrician install the fan, then sit back and enjoy.