10 Commonly Asked Ceiling Fan Questions Answered

Design: 19EightyThree

#1. What type of ceiling fan is suitable for HDB flats?

Design: In-Expat

Quick answer: Flush-mount or low profile aka "hugger" or "flush mount" ceiling fans are suitable for HDB flats.

Generally, the HDB floor-to-ceiling height is 2.6 metres. Due to building codes and safety considerations, there must be a minimum distance clearance of 7.5 feet between the fan blades to the floor after the ceiling fan installation. Hence, only the flush mount ceiling fan (which does not incorporate a down rod in its design) will meet the minimum distance requirement after installation. Aside from ensuring sufficient head clearance, the minimum clearance ensures maximum energy efficiency. Otherwise, the fan needs to work harder to achieve the same level of circulation since there is less air between the ceiling and the fan blades.

#2. What type of ceiling fan is suitable for higher ceilings?

Quick answer: Standard ceiling fan with a down rod.

Image from homenish

A standard ceiling fan comes with a downrod, which ranges from 3 to 72 inches in length, and suspends the motor and blade from the canopy. Such a standard ceiling fan needs a higher ceiling height for installation and due to the added space between the fan blades and the ceiling, there is also better air circulation and energy efficiency.

#3. Can the ceiling fan be installed on a sloped ceiling?

Quick answer: It depends; most standard ceiling fans with downrod can accommodate up to 30 degrees of ceiling slope.

Image from delmarfans

Most standard ceiling fan canopies allow for some degree of ceiling slope of up to 30 degrees. To ensure larger blade clearance, a longer downrod may need to be installed. For steeper slopes, sloped-ceiling adaptors aka angle mounts can be used for the ceiling fan.

#4. Does a 3-blade ceiling fan create more air circulation, than those with 4 or more blades?

Quick answer: No. More fan blades actually create more drag and use up more energy.

Image from lightopiaonline

Contrary to popular belief, more fan blades do not translate to higher circulation of air, since the amount of air circulated by a ceiling fan is determined by its diameter. In fact, 3-blade ceiling fans are the most energy-efficient since with fewer parts, they are lighter and use less energy to rotate. However, this also means that the 3-blade ceiling fans can be noisier than ceiling fans with more blades since they might not be as balanced as the 4 or more blade ceiling fans.

#5. What type of ceiling fan is suitable to be installed on the balcony?

Quick answer: Damp or wet rated ceiling fan is suitable for outdoor usage.

Design: Luova Project Services

Water-proof and weather-resistant ceiling fans are especially designed for outdoor use. Damp certified fans can be used for covered porches, patios and other areas that do not have direct exposure to rain, water, or moisture. The wet location rated fans can be used for pergolas and verandas where they are exposed to water.

#6. What is the ceiling fan size recommendation?

Quick answer: Small rooms (9 sqm): 36 - 42 Inches Medium rooms (21 sqm): 42 - 52 Inches Large rooms (37 sqm): 56 - 72 Inches Extra large rooms (> 37sqm): 60 - 96 Inches or use multiple large fans.

Image from lightopiaonline

The amount of air circulated by a ceiling fan is determined by its diameter and therefore, larger rooms require ceiling fans with larger diameters. Multiple ceiling fans are needed for rooms bigger than 37 sqm.

#7. What is CFM?

Quick answer: CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) is the measurement of how much air is circulated by a ceiling fan per minute.

Design: Rooot Studio

Airflow is the amount of air a ceiling fan circulated (divided by the watts used) and this is measured in CFM which stands for Cubic Feet per Minute. Hence, the higher the CFM, the more efficient the ceiling fan is.

#8. Which is better? The DC or AC motor ceiling fan?

Quick answer: When it comes to energy efficiency and electrical bills, DC (Direct Current) ceiling fans are better than AC (Alternating Current) ones.

Design: LemonFridge Studio

DC ceiling fans generally consume less than 60-70% of the power of a typical ceiling fan and have more speed options too. Although they offer significant energy savings and lower electrical bills, the DC ceiling fans are typically more expensive than regular ceiling fans.

#9. Are there smart ceiling fans?

Quick answer: Yes and they can either work with Apple’s HomeKit smart home series, Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa.

Image from palmfanstore

The smart ceiling fans allow you access to smart-home functions, where they can be controlled remotely, or automated to be turned on based on the preset temperature or schedules. They can be linked up with existing smart home devices like Homekit or Alexa. Some of the smart ceiling fan brands include the Haiku, Hunter and Modern Forms ceiling fans.

#10. What are the costs involved in the installation of a ceiling fan?

Quick answer: The ceiling fan installation cost ranges from $40 to $150.

Design: Space Atelier

The costs vary depending on the ceiling height and type of fan being installed. For installation of ceiling fans with existing points (ceiling height of  3m and below), the cost varies from $40 to $80. For installation of ceiling fans with existing points (above 3m), the cost ranges between $60 to $100. For the installation cost of ceiling fan that needs a new point or with a false ceiling, the costs range between $120 and $150.