Popular Styles of Ceiling Fans: How to Choose the Right One for Your Home

Have you ever shopped for ceiling fans? If you have, you'll know there are actually a wide variety of styles out there on the market and the amount of choice can seem overwhelming at first.

We've put together this article to help you choose the right ceiling fan for your home, office or business premises. Below we've featured some of the most popular styles of ceiling fans, and highlighted the major differences between them.

Outdoor ceiling fans are usually made from all-weather materials, such as 316 marine grade steel, designed to protect them from the elements.  In recent years a we've seen more outdoor fans being manufactured using moulded ABS

(Thermoplastic) which means they are virtually corrosion proof.

Many outdoor fans are exposed to damp, wet & humid conditions, which is why the better quality fans have a waterproof, sealed motor. These fans are widely used in many Australian homes, in order to survive the sea air. However even outdoor fans need to be used under a gazebo or covered deck, and should not be exposed directly to rain.

Not surprisingly outdoor fans are popular all over Australia because they provide cooling on verandas and patios, during our hot summers. Please be aware manufacturers will generally not cover, under warranty, an indoor fan used in outdoor conditions.

Timber blades are, generally, thicker and have a flatter pitch than metal blades or ABS blades and therefore, usually move less air. This makes the timber blades quieter for areas like bedrooms, or for areas where the style and finish of timber blades is important.

For areas where higher air movement is required,  metal or ABS blades would be a better choice. ABS blades will not rust or peel and therefore require less maintenance.

Fans with lights are a good option for small rooms where there is not a lot of room for other lights to be installed. In these situations, having ceiling lights positioned too close to a ceiling fan may cause a strobing effect as the light passes through the spinning fan blades, so the fan/light combination is a far better option in these conditions.

There can also be problems with electrical wiring not being available or accessible to put new light points in smaller rooms. Fan lights now come in many different styles from the basic clipper and oyster light attachments which generally take one or two globes to the newer slimline led lights which integrate into the fans design.

If you don't want to jump up off of the couch or out of bed to adjust your fan or light (in the case of a fan/light combination) then a fan with a remote should be on your shopping list.

Most ceiling fans & ceiling fan lights are now remote adaptable. If you are renovating or replacing an existing ceiling light with a fan/light combination, please be aware that your electrician will need to install extra wiring so that the fan and light can be operated separately. If there is no access to install additional electrical wiring (e.g. a concrete ceiling) then you will need to use a remote controlled fan to be able to operate the fan and light separately in these situations.

At Discount Lighting we stock of range of ceiling fans, with and without lights, from some of Australia's best brands. If you are not sure which ceiling fan is right for your home or business contact one of our lighting and cooling specialists today.