Things to Consider When Buying an Indoor vs. Outdoor Ceiling Fan

Shopping for an indoor or outdoor ceiling fan might seem easy at first. All you need to know is the color and style of fan that will look good in your home or outside above your covered patio—right?

Unfortunately, buying both types of fans requires a little extra consideration. What’s more, there are a few critical differences between indoor and outdoor fans. Continue reading to learn a bit more about purchasing your next fan.

What are the biggest differences between the two?

Outdoor fans need to withstand potentially harsh weather, while indoor fans are safe from the elements in your house. Because of that, outdoor fans are made of hardier materials—like strong plastics and stainless steel—that won’t be affected by inclement weather. Outdoor fan blades are also bigger than indoor ones to help better circulate air.

Two of the other differences between indoor and outdoor fans are how the fans are wired and installed. The internal wiring of outdoor fans and the lighting elements must be completely sealed to avoid an electrical fire. Outdoor fans also need to be secured much tighter to prevent the unit from falling down due to a strong gust of wind.

Buying an outdoor fan

An outdoor fan can either be damp rated or wet rated. Choosing between the two fan types mainly depends on where the fan will be installed and the climate in which your house is located.

A damp-rated fan is great for a covered outdoor space that’s protected from heavy rains. While they can withstand getting wet to a certain point, damp-rated fans will stop working or may even catch fire if they get too wet.

A wet-rated fan, on the other hand, is better protected from the elements. These fans are fine in heavy rainstorms, and they can even be washed off with a hose. You could hang a wet-rated fan on a pergola or semi-shielded outdoor space and feel confident that it won’t malfunction.

Buying an indoor fan

Appearance is definitely a concern when shopping for both an outdoor and indoor ceiling fan. But with an indoor fan, you can’t just think about how it’ll look in your home.

Other things to think about besides appearance include the blade size, blade pitch and ceiling height. Picking out a fan with blades that are too small may not be able to cool the room, while big blades might damage the walls. Be sure to measure the size of your room to ensure your new fan will work for it.

You’ll also need to check the size of the fan’s motor. A larger motor can move the blades faster, which will make your home cooler, but it may use up more electricity in the process.

Never install ceiling fans yourself!

It may seem easy, but installing an outdoor and indoor ceiling fan is not a DIY chore. In addition to the risk of electrocuting yourself, you may hang the fan improperly. For those reasons—and a few more—it’s best to leave installation to the pros.

Contact Wilkinson Electric Inc. today to get some more help shopping for your next fans or to schedule installation.

Categorised in: Ceiling Fan Installation

This post was written by Writer