When deciding to buy a ceiling fan, measuring your room might seem like the right way to go, but there’s much more to it that just the interior measurements. There are a lot of things to take into consideration because ceilings come in different shapes and blades that are specifically designed for a certain type of ceiling or area. That is why, we have included a few guides that can help you size your ceiling fan in an accurate way.
Why is Ceiling Fan Size Important?
Knowing the size of your ceiling fan is important for many reasons. First of all, you want to make sure that your ceiling fan doesn’t look out of place and that it matches the style of the room. For example, small fans sit flat to the ceiling, and they have a blade span that can start from 24 inches up to 49 inches. Bigger fans on the other hand, have a downrod from 8 up to 9-foot ceiling, and depending on the height of your ceiling, the downrods are longer.
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How are Ceiling Fans Measured?
Usually, there are two factors that need to be considered when measuring fans: downrod length and blade sweep.
Donwrod length deals with the height of the ceiling fan, how low or how high should the fan be hung. The taller the ceiling, the longer the downrod should be. On the other hand, if the ceiling is too low, the downrod has to be shortened so that the height remains accurate.
For example, an area with a 9-foot ceiling needs a downrod of 6 inches. If a ceiling is higher than 9 feet, you need to add 6 inches to the downrod for each foot: 10-foot ceiling – 12 inches downrod and so on.
Blade sweep measures the blade span which is usually measured in inches, and this comes in handy when you’re measuring your room. Ceiling fans need to match the room, which means that if a room is too big then a bigger fan is needed, but if a room is too small then a smaller fan is better. The number of blades is what determines the fans, and there are two ways of doing this:
- The even numbers of blades (2,4) indicate that the ceiling fans should be measured starting from the tip of one blade all the way to the tip of the other blade so that the blade span is correctly measured.
- If the ceiling has odd numbers (3,5), this means that the measuring should start from the center, going to the tip of any blade. Lastly, all you need to do is multiply that distance by 2 and that’s how your blade span is measured.
How To Measure the Size of Your Room
Once you get all the measurements of your ceiling fan, it’s time to measure the size of your room. Depending on your area, there are usually 4 ceiling fan sizes that can help you pick the right one according to the room size (in square feet):
For under 144 – the recommended blade span is under 42 inches, and the cubic feet per minute (CFM) should range between 1,000 – 3,000.
From 144 to 225 – the recommended blade span is 44-50 inches, with a CFM of 1,600 – 4,500.
From 225 to 400 – the suggested blade span includes fans over 50 inches, and 2,300 – 6,500 CFM.
For over 400 – the recommended blade span suggests fans over 60 inches, with 5,500 – 13,500 CFM.
To determine the size of your room, just multiply the length of the area with the width of the area in feet, and the number that you get is the size of your room. For instance, if an area is 7 x 7 inches, then the square footage is 49 square feet.
One thing you can do when your room is too big is you can hang two smaller ceiling fans. But remember that ceiling fans need space, which is why it’s also important to leave about 18 to 24 inches of space all around the fan.
How to Choose the Correct Ceiling Fan Size
The next step after measuring the size of your room has to do with the size of the ceiling fan itself. A downrod is useful when you have tall ceilings, but usually the ideal height of a ceiling fan needs to be 8 to 9 feet above the ground. When determining the length of the downrod, consider this chart:
If the area has a ceiling of 8 feet or less, a flush mounted fan is the safest choice here because they save plenty of space. For rooms which have an inclined ceiling, the best option is to get an angled mounted downrod so that the installment is easier.
What Happens When the Ceiling Fan Is Too Small or Too Big for the Area?
The proportions of your ceiling fan are crucial because they can make or break your room. But what if you install a small fan in a big room? The motor will have to work twice as hard; it will burn out faster, and the fan doesn’t work as effectively. Overall, this means that it’s not energy-efficient and the fan needs to be replaced beforehand.
Contrarily, if you install a fan that is too big for smaller areas then it takes a lot of space. If the blades are too close to the wall, there’s a high chance that the airflow will be affected in a negative way. And if the blades are too big, they can be dangerous.
Size Ceiling Fan for Bedroom and Living Room
Perhaps one of the first rooms that needs a ceiling fan is your bedroom because they create a relaxing atmosphere. When determining size options for bedrooms, remember that for a regular-sized bedroom of 144-225 square feet, a great choice would be a medium fan that has a blade span of 44-50 inches. You should also check the CFMs because they should range between 1,600-4,500.
For the living room area, you need to focus on the design as well as the size of the fan. In order to find the right size ceiling fan, the square footage of your room is necessary here too. After identifying the blade span and CFM, this will ensure that your living room has the right fan and it works more effectively.
Other Ceiling Fan Measurements
We mentioned the blade span and the downrod length as key measurements for ceiling fans, but there are some other options to consider too:
Cubic Feet Per Minute – If you search for a ceiling fan, the cubic feet per minute (CFM) measurements are listed, which tells you how much air it can move per minute. Naturally, bigger fans have higher CFMs, and smaller fans have lower CFMs.
Ceiling Height – After measuring the size of your room, ceiling height is the next step. Depending on the ceiling height, you can determine whether a downrod is needed or not.
Finding the Right Ceiling Fan for Any Room – What you need to make sure is that the dimensions of the of every space match the size of the ceiling fan that you have picked.