I do not want to start a Left/Right argument. I am also installing a fan in my master bedroom. Should the fan be on clockwise or counter-clockwise in the summer? If cold air is ‘heavy’ as compared to warmer air should the fan lift air in the summer and force it back down in the winter?
Maybe it does not matter as long as the air moves?
Thanks, Mike
A custom finish carpenter shares how he designed and outfit his two-car garage shop with all the tools, jigs, and accessories he needs to comfortably do great work.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
theory I've used is
blowing down onto the occupants, the breeze makes it feel cooler for the summer
up in the winter where a breeze wouldn't be wanted but the circulating air helps reduce cold/hot spots.
The important thing about a ceiling fan in the MBR is that it not be hung too low or it will destroy stilleto heeled shoes.
Whatchu doing with yer feet up in the air?? =D
Hanging heels on my ears
If the wife ain't happy.... then nobody is happy <g>
Um........how do I say this? Whatever makes you feel comfy? I mean seriously, do ya' think the guys with the black suburbans are gonna' come and haul you away if you f*** up?
Blow down if you mount TP to roll off the front of the roll, blow up if you mount TP to roll off the back of the roll.
"...blow up if you mount TP to roll off the back of the roll"
Now I have a preference of the former, but I wouldn't blow anyone up for doing it the wrong way!
You have to love this site. I learned 18" drop is best. I will do that since I have never known of anyone 'visiting' my house with 18" heals on her feet. Mine maybe but that is another story. TP and which way it rolls? Well then I have not used that particular product since I moved my john outside.One more serious question - what is a good brand fan? Should I just go to Big Box and find one I like via looks? Fans guys!!! Not the babe in 18" heels I mean!!!Mike
I have a plain white Hunter that's amost 20 yrs.old it stays on all Summer and Winter.
.
.. . . . . . . .
I see the Hunter brand often. 20 years is an excellent longevity report.
From what I have seen the you can get very nice fans in the $100 to $175 range. Below that they are too cheap. And above that you are in generally buying more "style".But there are some more expensive units that have the money in the "iron" such as the original Hunter design with the oil resivor.In general I like the Hunters in that price range. But any give BB house brand (Harbor Breeze and I can't remember the other one) have some good ones.I just installed a $150 Hunter from Lowes. It is a "self-balancing" feature. Forgot the tradename. But you are not suppose to activate it for long extension rods. Mine is on a 3 ft. But without touching anything it is the best balanced, quietest fan I have seen or not heard.Even on high speed the Fangle Dangles (yes that is what Hunter calls them) barely move.Installed a $90 Harbor Breeze in a similar situation and have had to balance it twice. Even at the best it dances around..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
I've got an L.A. Fan, thats the brand. Can they be rebuilt? I paid $250 apiece for them in 1992. One sounds like a bearing is going.
No idea. Never of that brand.That said I have run across a couple of website that have repair parts and/or do repairs.A google should find them.And there is a good change that the bearings are off the shelf items, probably bronze sleave.If you don't want to try it them look for a small appliance repair shop. Or maybe a motor shop. Most of them only do large motors. But some do special small motors such as aircraft landing gear motors.PS a tool repair shop could probably handle it. .
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Edited 7/1/2009 3:10 pm by BillHartmann
I've got a couple of Hunters and a couple of no-names that lighing supplier had. By far the quietest ones I have are the cheap no-name ones. I had real good luck prior to these hunters but not the case on these 2. If I could find the blanking plate and remove the light kits I'd kill 99% of the noise. Granted, it's very little noise but at night I can hear them running and not the cheapies. The long downrods may compound the problem. I never shut the fans off so the switch on the wall is only there to satisfy code.
Fans can be utilitarian or a design feature. Most inexpensive fans have a "builder special" look, which is why many customers think they hate ceiling fans. Two companies that I know of make stylish fans with plenty of wow factor: Minka Aire (check out the San Francisco) and the Modern Fan Co. Cost is significantly higher than a HD fan - the performance is fine, so the extra is probably for the looks. If utilitarian is all you need, it might be wise at least to make sure that the blade tilt is enough to be useful. Most of the good fans have 14-15 degree tilts. Stay away from the ones that have <10 degree tilts, as they are mainly air beaters, not movers.
Downdraft will provide maximal cooling feel if the room occupants are within the cone of the downforced air. Outside of the cone the effect is noticably reduced. Upflow forces the air along the ceiling and out, providing a larger cone of airflow, with the tradeoff that the breeze is not as strong. Note also that there is an optimal drop of the fan. In general too close to the ceiling and the fan just beats the air without moving it. Most manufacturers seem to like a drop of 18" or more for this reason.
Pretty sure directions I have actually read (very uncommon occurence) say down in summer, up in winter. What do they know? As others said most of the "cooling effect" is the movement of the air on you. In winter you are trying to gently move cooler air up to move the warmer down or at least mix/blend them.
Historically the standard has been down in the summer for direct air flow across the body for that added cooling affect of convective air flow. Up in the winter to force mix the air w/out that convective flow being forced directly on the body ... it goes up and out across the ceiling and down the walls. Not really natural for the hot air rises thing, but you can't have breezes blowing on you in the winter! Destratification fans do blow down, but that's a different topic and they are never placed such that they blow in your normally occupied zone.