8 Types of Household Electric Fans

In hot and humid Singapore, you might be able to do without an air-conditioner... but electric fans? They are definitely essential. Each type of electric fans has its own merits and shortcomings. We are here to give you an overview of the 8 types of electric fans commonly found on the market, so that you can make it through the hot days easy-breezy.

Pedestal fans

Most pedestal fans have an oscillating function; you can also adjust the height and angle of the fan manually. Pedestal fans ventilate and cool the interior very effectively. Larger fan blades generally provide better ventilation, but small fan blades create much less noise than its counterpart.

Box fans

The box fan’s blades and outer case are made of plastic, while its inner structure resembles a traditional electric fan. What’s exceptional about the box fan is that its perforated cover can rotate fully, a complete 360-degree. It enables the fan to adjust the direction of the wind and ensure constant ventilation. Box fans come in different shapes and sizes: portable fans, floor fans, wall fans and ceiling fans. Some box fans with additional foldable panels can be installed on windows as both a ventilator and a cooling fan.

Tower fans

Shaped like a skyscraper, the slim built of the cylindrical tower fan looks stylish and saves space. But the tower fan is not without flaws. It can be quite noisy when operating, and dissembling the tower fan for cleaning is an arduous task. Different from traditional fans, the tower fan propels air through the body column with a set of impeller blades stood vertically inside the shaft. The tower fan’s airflow strength is gentler than the traditional fan’s. The ventilation area of the tower fan is also smaller, which renders it a more suitable option for air-conditioned environments. But the thing with technology is that it never stops progressing. On the market, now you can easily find slimmer, quieter versions of the tower fan called the Slim Tower.

Bladeless fans

It’s quite a marvel, the bladeless fan. Looking at its long, empty oval eye, it might be baffling to feel that exceptionally strong airflow coming from sheer nothingness. Here’s the mechanism behind the bladeless fan: the turbines suck air into the base of the fan, the air is forced through the oval slit of the body, creating a strong flow of air. The bladeless fan creates minimal noise when in operation, and has a steadier, stronger airflow than the tower fan. The angle of ventilation is also wide; that’s why the bladeless fan can serve as a substitute to the ordinary ventilating fan.

Wall fans

Apart from being a space-saving choice, when installed next to the air conditioner, the wall fan can significantly increase the general cooling efficacy. When installing the wall fan, you probably have to drill a few holes on the wall. Therefore, the exact position of the fan has to be carefully considered beforehand. For example, think about whether fixing the fan in a particular position would cause hazardous or inconvenient scenarios like hitting heads or coming into close contact with other furniture.

Ceiling fans

The ceiling fan is also a good space-saving choice. Its large fan blades also create stronger wind which reaches a large area. When used together with the air conditioner, the interior can be cooled down quite rapidly. The ceiling fan’s beautiful designs can also bring elegance to your home.

Clip fans

The base of a clip fan is a large, strong clip which allows you to conveniently attach the fan on tables and shelf boards. Due to its relatively small size, the clip fan has a weaker airflow than other fans mentioned above. But to office workers, the addition of a small clip fan to the office desk is the perfect cooling solution at work. Some clip fans can be charged with a USB cable, while others are powered by rechargeable batteries or lithium batteries.

Circulators

Technically, the circulator is not a fan, since its function is not cooling, but keeping the air around in motion. The thing about the circulator is that it creates a vortical airflow like a baby tornado. This wind flowing in vortex motion can reach very far and creates constant ventilation in the interior. The circulator amplifies the effects of the air-conditioner and the radiator, so that temperature regulation can be more energy-efficient.   HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.