Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans provide a natural energy saving cooling solution. Most ceiling fans use only about as much power as a 60 watt light bulb which equates to less than 1 cent per hour to run.* Ceiling fans will save you money in utility bills in both the winter and summer months.Fans are the cheapest cooling device you can buy. The key to making fans work for you is to couple them with good insulation and ventilation.
Desk and pedestal fans
Desk pedestal fan effortlessly circulate are around a room thy are portable and plug into standard wall power outlet. Pedestal fans come in range of different sizes and they are a cheap way to circulate air through the home and should not be used near external blinds, eaves and verandas on windows.
Ceiling fans
Ceiling fans require installation by an electrician, but are more efficient at cooling a room than other fans. In fact, they're the most efficient way of keeping cool in hot and tropical areas.
How
to Select the Right Fan
Size and primary use of the room
(ie family room, bedroom etc)
It's important to consider the
size of the room when selecting a
ceiling fan. The larger the room
size the more powerful the fan motor
and larger length of the blades will
need to be to generate enough air
movement resulting in a cooling
breeze.
Fan Size Recommendations
Room Dimensions Suggested Fan
size CM
Up to 75 ft2 (7m2 or 2x3.5m small
room) 36" 91.44
76 - 144 ft2 (7m2 - 13m2 3x4m small
bedroom) 36"- 42" 91.44 -106.68
144 - 225 ft2 (13m2 - 20m2 4x5m
medium bedroom small living area)
48"- 121.92
225 - 400 ft2 (20m2 - 36m2 6x6m
large bedroom, large living area) 50 - 56" - 127 -132.08cm
Large Rooms Living, family or master bedrooms need a fan with a blade of 132cm or larger to generate enough air flow. A small fan in a large room can make a space look unbalanced whereas a large fan can look overpowering in a small room.
Medium to Small rooms For kitchens, dining rooms or kids bedrooms and offices you should choose a fan of 122cm or smaller.
Outdoor Areas Fans located in outdoor areas should be protected from the elements, therefore are only recommended for outdoor rooms or alfresco areas. Outdoor fans must not be exposed to water under any circumstances and must have at least 3 walls of protection from wind.
Ceiling Height
If you have high ceilings above the
standard 2.4 meters, you may require
an extension rod. Most ceiling fans come with an
optional extension rod, a standard
size is 900mm but can easily cut
them to suit requirements.
With good quality ceiling fans come a Ball Canopy fixing method to the ceiling which means fans can be mounted on cathedral ceilings or flat ceilings.
Recommended Installation
Height
Any ceiling fan should be at least
2.1 meters from the floor to the
blades of the fan and at least 300mm
from the ceiling.
Additional Source of Lighting
If your fan will be replacing the
main source of lighting in a room
you will need to purchase a fan that
has an integrated lighting fitting. Light adaptable fittings are also available so you can
still retain your light source.
Remote Controls
Have the convenience of being able
to control the light and action of
your fan from a remote control. Many ceiling fan can be installed
with a receiver which means that
when installing a fan into an
existing light point there is no
need to run an extra wire to control
the fan, as the remote does
everything for you. Remote controls
are an optional extra.
To obtain professional advice on ceiling fan installation simply contact United Electrical Services and we will arrange a Qualified Electrician to discuss your needs .
Ceiling Fans in Summer
While a Ceiling Fan does not necessarily lower the temperature of a room, it does make the room feel cooler by providing a circulatory breeze. Effective circulation can make you feel up to 8 degrees cooler, and reduce air conditioning bills by up to 40%. Ceiling Fans use the body's natural air conditioning system, through the movement of air down from the Ceiling Fan and across your entire body. The gentle or strong breeze depending upon the speed it is on, generated by the Ceiling Fan, evaporates any moisture on your skin caused by the heat, providing a fantastic natural cooling effect especially on hot and humid nights, and where many people rather not use air conditioning as it can make your skin feel dry and block up nasal passages. Even when Ceiling Fans are used inconjunction with air conditioning substansial energy savings can be obtained. When using your Ceiling Fan with the air conditioning operating, you can set the temperature of the thermostat on the air conditioning unit to a higher temperature reducing the energy being consumed, while still maintaining the same level of comfort.
Ceiling Fans in Winter
In the winter months, you should run your Ceiling Fan in the reverse mode using the Summer/Winter switch. All Ceiling Fans are reversible and have the Summer/Winter settings. We all know that heat rises, so when heating up your home in the Winter the temperature of the air at the ceiling of the room can be up to 15 degrees warmer than the air at ground level. This is very in efficient and the heaters have to used at a stronger level and for longer periods to warm up the room at ground level. Instead if a Ceiling Fan is used in the Winter mode, in conjunction with the heater it will push the warm air up against the ceiling and then down the walls, gently re-circulating warm air through the room, which means that heaters which use far more energy than a Ceiling Fan, will not have to operate for as long, or at such a high heat setting, thus reducing your energy consumption and saving you money. This technique has been proven to lower heating costs by as much as 10.
Evaporative cooling
Evaporative coolers use a fan or blower to draw in outside air and pass it through a wet filter. As hot, dry air moves through the filter the water evaporates, cooling and humidifying the air. The cooled air is then blown through the room or house.
An evaporative cooler costs around half the price of a similar reverse-cycle unit. Running prices are considerably less, as little as 10 per cent the cost of reverse-cycle to cool a similar area.
Evaporative airconditioning is suitable for a number of situations. These include:
Areas such as Perth which experience hot and dry conditions.
Because evaporative airconditioners add moisture to the air, they are
unsuitable for more humid climates. Evaporative coolers need windows and doors open to function and are
ideal for families with children and pets coming in and out of the
house regularly. Allergy and asthma sufferers may benefit from evaporative cooling.
The system keeps air in the house moist, instead of dry as with
reverse-cycle systems
