Fans are an economical answer to your cooling needs. They are easy to install, easy to operate and most importantly they result in energy savings. They can be either used by themselves in mild weather or they can be used to complement the air conditioning during the hot summers. Fans will give you the advantage of setting your air conditioning at a higher temperature resulting in saving energy and lowering your electricity bills.
Before you buy a fan you have to decide what you want. The market is flooded with different types, brands and sizes of fans. Here I will try to list out the various features that are available. You can decide what you want and then select your fan based on this. I am sure one of the most important requirement would be that this piece of equipment doesn't take up much space and isn't a sore eye to your decor.
You have ceiling fans, pedestal fans, tower fans and wall mount fans just to name a few. Considering the space element, the ceiling fans will most probably save you the most space because they are right up on the ceiling not taking up any of your floor space. Next would probably be the wall mount fans that will sit neatly on your wall. The pedestal and the tower fans will take up some floor space, but they come in so many kinds of designs that you could choose one to go with your decor. The tower fans are lesser in width than the pedestal fan but taller.
You will need to zero in on the features that you want your fan to have. Some of the features that you should look into are:
* Size: The fans come in different sizes. The diameter of the pedestal fan could vary from 16 inches to 30 inches. The wall mount fan could be as small as 10 inches and you could have varying heights for the tower fan. Choose a size that best fits your room.
* Material: Your entire fan could be made of plastic. Check to see if it is too flimsy. If it is completely made of metal it will be sturdier but of course also heavier. Sometimes the legs may be made of plastic and not strong enough to withstand the weight.
* Installation: Most of the fans are easy to install. But be prepared for missing screws and parts than have bent in transit. You should be able to get a replacement from the company. For wall mount fans take special note of where the switches are. If they are on top of the fan it could be inconvenient. The cord that comes with the fan might not be long enough to hang the fan high on the wall. You might need to add a short extension cord in such cases.
* Noise: Look for a quiet motor to have a sound sleep at night. There are fans than might seem very silent when running at low speed, but at higher speed the noise level might be unacceptable.
* Oscillation: Some fans have up to 3 oscillation functions - the standard horizontal oscillation, the vertical oscillation and a combination of both horizontal and vertical oscillation. This is called the dual axis oscillation and ensures movement of air throughout the room. There are some wall mount fans where only the grill oscillates, rather than the entire fan.
* Timer: Look out for the timer. Many fans have them, but see at what intervals they can be set. There are fans that have timers go up at 30 minute intervals up to 7.5 hours. There are others that have only hourly or sometimes only every 2 hour settings.
* Ionizer: This is an added benefit available on some fans. It will take care of any smell that carries into the room. Also check if the ionizer can be switched off if you don't need to use it.
* Remote: Some of the fans come with a remote that will help you control the speed, oscillation, mode of operation and set the timer as well. Nice to have if you don't want to keep getting up from where you are sitting or at night in your sleep.
* Appearance: The fans come in various designs and colours. You could get one with a wood panelling if you have wooden walls or floors or a nice stylish looking black tower fan to match your decor.
* Customer Service: Last but not the least the after sales customer service of the company whose fan you choose to buy should also be a factor to consider just in case you were unlucky to get a defective piece or if one of the parts came damaged or you have a problem with the installation.
Having said all this, there is one big criterion that will influence your purchase - the cost of the fan. Again you have a wide cost range available depending on the amount of features on the fan.
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