Ceiling Fan Installation Guide

Your Ceiling Fan Guide

Did you know that ceiling fans were originally powered by water when they were invented in the mid-1800s? Talk about an emergency electric problem waiting to happen, right?! Inventor of the ceiling fan, Duchess Melissa Rinaldi, would be proud of her creation today. Appliances such as ceiling fan have advanced exponentially since then; so much we can’t live without them because of the convenience and comfort they provide us.

This is why it’s not surprising that we get lots of calls about ceiling fans and ceiling fan installation daily. Mister Sparky receives thousands of calls about installing ceiling fans each year.

Some of the electrical services we get requests for include ceiling fan installation, re-installation, light switch wiring, re-wiring, and tightening. We are the electricians that do all of those electrical services for you. If you haven’t guessed yet, this blog is basically ceiling fans 101. We’ve already covered the history of ceiling fans, but next, we’ll discuss top brands of fans, different types of fans, and when it’s time to reverse the direction of ceiling fan blades.

Whether you take brand names into consideration or not before making a ceiling fan purchase, hear us out. We’ve found that ceiling fan brands such as Araya, Casablanca, Discus II, and Hunter always perform well and stand the test of time. Minka, the Involution, and Westinghouse Brendan (link is external) are also good choices! Anytime you need ceiling fan recommendations, please get in touch with us. There are not only several brands to choose from, but there are also several types as well, which can make the selection process overwhelming.

Many styles of ceiling fans have been developed due to changes in style preference, technology improvements and the movement for energy conservation over time. Some of the more popular styles of ceiling fans include direct-drive ceiling fans, stack-motor ceiling fans, belt-driven ceiling fans, and cast-iron ceiling fans.

• Direct-drive ceiling fans utilize spinner motors with blades attached to them. While they are the least expensive ceiling fan option, they are the noisiest, unfortunately. In contrast, stack-motor ceiling fans are powerful and efficient as they utilize a dropped flywheel where the blades are mounted.
• Belt-driven ceiling fans are modeled after the early, water-powered ceiling fans except they use electric motors instead of water to operate. Finally, cast-iron ceiling fans, a blast from the past, are made up of oil-bath motors, which must be oiled one or two times a year. They have been known to last 70-80 years because of their durable construction.

Now that you have a solid understanding of the many different types of ceiling fans, we’ve got to educate you on the proper time to reverse the direction that your ceiling fan turns.

• Winter is right around the corner! It’s simple–in the winter, turn your blades clockwise to warm your room. By keeping your blades going in a clockwise direction, you can save up to 15% on your energy bill.
• It’s the opposite in summertime–turn your fan’s switch counterclockwise when it gets warm outside. This way the blades will create a cooling effect that will allow you to keep your air conditioner at a higher temperature, thus saving you money.

There you have it- ceiling fans 101. You’ve learned about the history of ceiling fans, some of the services we provide for ceiling fan installation, top ceiling fan brands and then you learned about which direction to set your fan blades in the summer and winter. Now you can add ceiling fan connoisseur to your résumé!