Ceiling Fans Reviews, Questions and Answers Forum: Page 1
Read what others are saying or asking about ceiling fans

QUESTION:
I can't tell what color blades come on this brushed steel fan - Minka Aire Supra 44 SP Ceiling F563. Does it also include the light? thanks!

ANSWER:
As stated in the description below the main picture of the fan the Brushed Steel Supra SP comes with silver colored blades and the light fixture as shown in the picture. You can choose different blades if you wish, but they are optional and extra.

QUESTION:
Please recommend a damp or wet rated outdoor low profile white ceiling fan that moves enough air to reduce bug activity that does not have a light that is white. Thanks.

ANSWER:
I would highly recommend either the Minka Aire Concept II Wet or the Emerson Curva Sky. Both of these come with a built-in light fixture, but they also include a bottom cap that allows you to install the fan without the light. These fans move more air than other low profile fans. Keep in mind that low profile fans cannot move as much air as a fan that hangs from a downrod simply because the blades are too close to the ceiling to allow the same amount of unrestricted airflow a fan that hangs from a downrod is capable of producing. So unless your ceiling is lower than 8 feet, I might have other recommendations for you that will keep bugs away better if you use a downrod. Otherwise, if your ceiling is lower than 8 feet, these 2 fans will do the best job.

QUESTION:
your add states that this fan is a high speed industrial type. I am considering it for my home.These fan controls slow the fan down to a safe speed so it can be used in the home.Is this correct? I do have a vaulted ceiling where I intend to install it if I purchase your product. Please respond. The fan is an Emerson48 heat- HF948BS

ANSWER:
Industrial fans such as the Emerson HF948BS have metal blades and are NOT allowed for use in residential applications regardless of what type of control you have or what height the fan is hung. This is according to national building code standards. For a similar style fan that does not have metal blades and IS rated for use indoors I would recommend the Emerson Loft.

QUESTION:
Can an outdoor fan be installed indoors?

ANSWER:
Outdoor ceiling fans can certainly be installed indoors. But indoor fans cannot be installed outdoors. Outdoor fans have features that make them capable of handling more moisture than fans designed for indoors, so they are made to higher standards when it comes to certain components. Outdoor fans are either damp rated or wet rated. Damp rated fans can handle excessive moisture and are used in covered outdoor areas where they are not directly exposed to rain. They are also recommended indoors when installed in bathrooms and laundry rooms where there is a lot of moisture. Wet rated can handle direct exposure to rain, so the motor casings are better sealed than damp rated fans. Both types of outdoor fans use stainless steel screws and other hardware that can handle excess moisture. The wiring is coated differently and made to stricter standards than necessary for indoor applications. So indoor fans run the risk of shorting out or failing prematurely if they are installed outdoors. Conversely, for those who live close to the ocean or in humid climates, we strongly recommended that outdoor fans be used indoors. Bottom line is, outdoor fans are totally appropriate for indoor applications.

QUESTION:
I purchased 2 MinkaAire Concept II ceiling fans from you in June 2012. When my electrician was insatlling them, he broke one of the glass shades for the light. Can I purchase a replacement shade through you or do you know where I can get one?

ANSWER:
Because you made your purchase from us, we will send you a replacement glass FREE of charge based on our 5 year FREE replacement parts policy. If you were not aware that we had this policy when you made your purchase, you can read more about it here: 5 Year FREE Replacement Parts Plan. I have forwarded your request to our customer service department and someone will contact you to make sure it happens. Thanks for choosing Hansen Wholesale when you made your purchase.

QUESTION:
I have already purchased a white Minka Aire Concept II 52 from you and would like to buy another. Please can you tell me the difference between the brushed nickel and polished nickel finishes. It is difficult to tell on the website but is the polished nickel a lighter more reflective finish? I want to place this in the kitchen and try to match as closely as possible to the stainless steel appliances and other light fixtures we have. Thanks. David.

ANSWER:
Brushed nickel is much more like a stainless steel finish since it has a brushed finish. Polished Nickel is a shiny polished chrome finish...much more mirror like. So it sounds to me like brushed nickel is definitely the correct choice for your kitchen.

QUESTION:
I am looking for the best outdoor fans for an oceanside home so salt air and rust are issues. Any metal on any fan will rust as we have seen. Please advise if this is the right fan for our outdoor open porches at our beach house or if another model would be better. Thank you!

ANSWER:
The Monte Carlo Cyclone is an excellent choice for salt air environments since it is rated for wet locations and uses stainless steel components. It does not have any exposed metal parts that will rust like some fans in metallic finishes. For other choices, please read the paragraph on our Outdoor Ceiling Fans page titled "Salt Air Environments:". If you search our site using some of the suggestions listed there you will find similar fans that are equally or better suited for salt air locations. You may also want to give us a call so we can help you find the best ceiling fan for your salt air location. Call: 1-800-201-1193.

QUESTION:
is oil already in 23856

ANSWER:
The Hunter Original ceiling fans do NOT come with the oil already in the oil bath. The oil is in the box in a tube and needs to be added after the fan has been is installed. The way the fan is designed, the oil would spill out if it was put in at the factory. A word of caution...when removing a hunter original fan from the ceiling, always keep it in an upright position, otherwise the oil will in fact spill out and make quite a mess.

QUESTION:
whe4re are these ceiling fans, or fan motors made? mexico? if not, which country, thank you, i prefer not to buy "made in china", whenever possible.

ANSWER:
Virtually ALL ceiling fans are made in China...including the Emerson fans and motors. I understand your desire to NOT purchase products made in China, I have the same concern. Unfortunately, there are simply no good choices for fans that are not made in China, with a few exceptions found in the above below. Although I am fairly certain that quality is not your only concern or reason for not wanting to buy a fan that is made in China, I can assure you that the Emerson Carrera Grande ceiling fans are top of the line and built to last a lifetime with superb quiet performance and maximum airflow. They are among the best ceiling fans on the market today.

For more info about this please refer to this page on our site that discusses: Where Are Ceiling Fans Made?.

QUESTION:
Can I change the halogen to CFL bulb? Enough room? I may need an adapter.

ANSWER:
You cannot change the halogen bulb to a CFL bulb, there is not enough room nor was it designed for use with CFL bulbs. The reason Casablanca uses a halogen bulb instead of a fluorescent bulb is that the halogen is dimmable. The DC Stealth competes directly with the Emerson Midway Eco, which is currently the top selling DC ceiling fan on the market. The Emerson Midway Eco uses a Fluorescent bulb which is NOT dimmable. So for consumers who really want the ability to dim the lights, they are more likely to purchase the Stealth. So if you prefer to have a fluorescent light, you may want to consider the Emerson Midway Eco. Here is a link to it on our site: Emerson Midway Eco

QUESTION:
Hi guys I am looknig for a replacement light cover in glass to suit a Bonaire Pyrox NDo you stock these? If so, what price, and freight to Perth WA? Thanks Keryn

ANSWER:
I have never heard of a Bonaire Pyrox. Can you email me some pictures of it? Send them to: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

QUESTION:
i recently bought a hampton bay altura 56" fan (remote operated) and the fan/light is turning itself off. what should i do?

Response: Please refer to questions about Hampton Bay ceiling fans

QUESTION:
Does the Emerson Pro Series II CF711BS come with the optional No light cover?

ANSWER:
Yes, the Emerson Pro Series ceiling fans do in fact come with a bottom cap that allows you to install the fan without the included light fixture.

QUESTION:
Can you install a HUGGER CEILING FAN to a slightly uneven ceiling?

ANSWER:
If you mean slightly angled or sloped then the answer is no. hugger ceiling fans are designed to be installed on flat ceilings only. If this is the case, you will need a fan that has a short downrod with a ball in socket type of canopy. If your ceiling is 8 feet high, this should not be a problem. If the ceiling is lower than 8 feet, then you may not be able to install a fan. If you mean that the ceiling is rough or heavily textured (slightly uneven), then it may not be a problem. Can you give me more details about the ceiling? Email me some pictures? How high is your ceiling? If so, email your pictures to: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

QUESTION:
I have a Manhattan ceiling fan and light purchased from argos that I have broken the light shade on. Is this a part that you stock and if so how much?

ANSWER:
I am sorry, we do not handle ceiling fans sold in the UK. I suggest you contact the manufacturer or take it up with Argos.

QUESTION:
New construction house. Master bed room has cathedral type ceiling - but sides come to a 3.5 inch middle (not a beam width about size of 2 x 4). Fan box is in middle. I am installing a Hunter Fan but fan canopy hits ceiling side - has gap. I cannot find canopy to fit . What can be done to make this look right?

ANSWER:
Sounds like you have 3 options.

1. Either build out a wider flat space in the ceiling by cutting in a piece of wood (or drywall).
2. Cut into the ceiling to make the canopy fit.
3. Find a different ceiling fan with a smaller canopy (although I am not aware of any that are 3.5").

QUESTION:
I purchased a house recently that has beautiful fan light fixtures. The manufacturer's name is not on the product. I need a frosted glass replacement bowl with a 10" neck. The bowl extends beyond the neck and the neck clicks into place with a short twist. Can you help?

ANSWER:
Have you looked on the top of the fan motor? There is almost always a label on there that has the manufacturer and model number. If it is not there, then it certainly is not any major brand and you will not be able to find any replacement parts for it.

Glass globes like the one you have described usually are designed for specific fans or fan lights, so there are no universal replacement globes. This means you most likely must have the brand and model number in order to see if there is a replacement available.

FYI: Most fans sold at home centers and department stores are mass produced in China and imported directly by the mass merchant. They do not typically import replacement parts like fan globes, so if you purchased it from a home center odds are you are out of luck and you will have to replace the entire ceiling fan. It is also possible that you may be able to replace the entire light kit. If the fan was designed to accept universal light fixtures, this is a possibility. If the light fixture is built into the bottom of the fan and cannot be removed, then this is not an option.

If you can email me some pictures of your fan I may be able to identify it or at least give you some further advice. Email pictures to: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

QUESTION:
Will the Emerson Loft fan having only 3 blades be louder than a fan with 4 or 5 blades. I need two fans in a large covered outdoor kitchen, living area. My husband is worried about the fans being loud. Thanks.

ANSWER:
The amount of noise a fan produces is more related to the quality of the product than the amount of blades. However, in answer to your question, fans with 3 blades do make "slightly" more air noise than fans with 4 or 5 blades. But the difference is so minimal it should not make any difference in your buying decision. A superb quality 3 blade fan like the Emerson Loft will still be far quieter than a poorly designed 5 blade fan.

In most cases where you have a fan with 3 blades there is no exact equivalent model that has 4 or 5 blades, so you will never be able to put them side by side to actually perform a test.

Bottom line is, the Emerson Loft is a great choice. It is one of our best selling ceiling fans and we have yet to have any complaints about noise. It will run smooth and quiet for a lifetime.

QUESTION:
I know you can not use 52 inch blades on a 44 inch fan, but can you do the opposite? Our 52 inch fan blades are just a bit too long for the space we have the fan mounted in. If so, do you sell44 inch replacement blades? Thank you!

ANSWER:
Installing smaller blades on a fan that is designed for larger blades will produce less drag on the motor, which causes it to operate at a higher RPM. In many cases, RPM will be higher than the motor was designed to handle, and it may also operate at an RPM that is considered unsafe by UL standards. So there are very few cases where you can put smaller blades on a larger fan. The cases where this would be appropriate are specific to certain models by certain brands. In most cases, smaller blades are not even available to fit the brackets for a fan, so it is a mute point since you cannot even find smaller blades that will fit.

If you are referring to the Minka Aire Concept II F518-BN where you posted your question, the answer is no, you should not use smaller blades on this fan because they will spin too fans and most likely overheat the motor. You will notice that the 44" version of the fan has a smaller motor so that the RPMs are controlled.

If you own a different model and can tell me the brand and model number of the fan you own I may be able to offer more insight.

QUESTION:
I am looking for replacement glass for a ceiling fan with hang-down sconces which are held in place by a plastic disk that is screwed to the inside of the fixture. The bulb then screws into the plastic disk afterwards. There is no lip on the lip of sconce since it does not use screws to hold it in place. I do not know what brand this fan is but really need sconces for it. Can you help me at least identify what this type of sconce is called? Thanks!

ANSWER:
We call them "Socket Ring" glass shades and there are very few ceiling fan manufacturers that use them. I cannot say that the ones we carry will fit your fan, but here is a link to them on our site: Socket Ring Glass Shades. You will see that the fitters shown in the pictures do not have screws.

QUESTION:
we have had 3 ceiling fans in our bedroom and they all make a humming noise. are there any fans that are quiet? I cannot stand that hum.. we have had 2 hunters and one Kichler (sic) in the last 3 summers and are ready to replace again. what brand would you recommend?

ANSWER:
Regarding fans that run quiet, it is not necessarily a matter of what brand to purchase, it is more a matter of which model to purchase from each brand. Most brands offer a wide range of quality. The higher quality models are not generally sold at home centers and department stores, so you need to shop at a ceiling fan specialty store to get a good fan.

Our website gives you all the tools you need to find the best of the best when it comes to ceiling fans. All of our fans are rated by quality and performance and there are graphs that make it easy to compare fans at a glance. When it comes to quality, we rate all of the fans from the major ceiling fan manufacturers on a scale from 1 to 5 where 5 is the best. Fans that we give a quality rating of 5 will run dead quiet. Our search results are sorted by highest quality and then highest performance (CFM airflow) by default. So any search you perform will always show you fans we would recommend the most based on your search criteria.You may find this article I wrote some time ago to be helpful:

Who Makes The Best Ceiling Fans - The Online Guide To Ceiling Fan Comparisons.

To make it quick and easy to find the best fans for your needs, call and talk to one of our ceiling fan experts at: 1-800-201-1193.

FYI: Using a non-solid state dimmer or rheostat wall control will cause almost any ceiling fan to hum and will eventually damage the motor. So if you have a dimmer controlling your fans, replace it with an on/off switch and see if the noise subsides.

Also, I am curious to know the actual model number of the fans you currently own. If you can give that to me I can help you compare them to other fans that are available. If you buy the right fans, they should last you a lifetime without making any noise.

QUESTION:
Is a flush mount fan likely to be more quiet?

ANSWER:
The amount of noise a fan makes has more to do with the quality of the components used to make the fan and the precision to which parts are manufactured as opposed to how it is mounted. The capacitors used inside fans have a wide range in cost and are a major culpret to fans that hum. Cheaper parts and less precise tolerances usually contribute to more noise and more wobble...and a cheaper price tag.

With that said, contrary to what most consumers believe, a poorly made flushmount fan may in fact be more likely to make noise than a comparable standard mounted fan. The reason is because the rigid mounting hardware used on a flusmount fan offers much less room for "give" than a standard mount fan that has a downrod hanging from a ball and socket. For example: If a flushmount fan is made with poorly balanced blades, istead of wobbling like a normal fan, it will tend to shudder, which makes a lot more noise than a wobble. In either case, both fans will be annoying.

To ensure the fan you purchase is quiet and wobble free, we have rated the quality of each of our fans on a scale from 1 to 5 where 5 is best. Fans rated 5 will run smooth and dead quiet while providing the highest performance. They are also generally the most expensive because they are built to a much higher standard using precision made parts. Fans rated 4 will also run just as smooth and quiet but do not generally perform as well because the motors are made to a lower standard. Fans rated 4 or 5 are generally only available through ceiling fan specialty shops like ours and are higher quality than fans sold at home centers. Any fan rated less than 4 will give you rather average performance and are more comparable to fans sold at home centers.

When you search for fans on our site we always default the sorting by quality and then performance. So you will always see the best of the best first. You are also shown graphs that make it easy to compare the quality and performance of ceiling fans at a glance. We are proud to be the only website that offers this functionality.

If you need help choosing the best fans for your needs, please call and talk to our ceiling fan experts at: 1-800-201-1193 and they will save you lots of time. They know the differences between each brand and model and can answer all of your questions.

QUESTION:
What blades come with the $399 price CF788ORB?

ANSWER:
The Carrera Grande Eco does not come with any blades in the box. This fan is one of several fans of the "Blade Select" series from Emerson. Blade Select fans do NOT come with blades. Instead, there are 50 different blades for you to choose from so that you can design the fan to your needs. The blades range in size create a fan from 54" to 72" in span and there are many styles and finishes of blades to choose from in these various sizes.

If you look at the product page on our site, you can see that the blades are itemized separately from the $399 fan motor. When you Initially view the fan product page, the blades shown in the picture are included in the total price and you can see the itemized price of the motor and the pictured blades. You can select different blades by clicking on the orange "Blades" button beneath the main fan picture and the blades shown in the itemized list will change to reflect your selection. The total price will change as well.

No other website does it this way since it is quite complex to configure all of the pictures to include the appropriate blades as well as allow for the compatibility of all the optional blade selections.

Using the other orange buttons on the product page you can also choose other components as well such as light fixtures, glass, controls, downrods etc.

If you have any questions about ordering any of our Blade Select fans, please call and talk to one of our Ceiling Fan experts who will help you configure your fan to fit your needs. Call: 1-800-201-1193.

QUESTION:
Recommend. Big. Room. Fan. For 365. 24hr. Use

ANSWER:
The large ceiling fan I recommend the most that is built to withstand 24hr 365 day use is the Emerson Carrera Grande Eco. It has a DC motor that produces over 7000 CFM of airflow on high speed yet uses only 20 watts per hour making it over 300 times more efficient than fans without DC motors. Low speed is somewhere around 4 or 5 watts. This super efficiency can be beneficial if you are using the fan constinuously. It can be purchased with 54", 60" or 72" blades.

Here is a link to the Emerson Carrera Grand Eco 72" Ceiling Fan.

You can use the link below to view other recommendations for high quality large ceiling fans. The results are automatically sorted by the best quality and highest performance, so any of the top 30 results would be the fans we recommend, particularly for continual usage throughout the year. If you have further questions, please call and talk to our ceiling fan experts at: 1-800-2014-1193.

Here is a link to the Best Large Ceiling Fans.

QUESTION:
I'm looking to install a ceiling fan in my kitchen. For 12' x 10' the ceiling height is 8'. Another 8' x 10' of the ceiling slopes. The ceiling steps up from the 8' high area to 10' high and then slopes down to 8' again at the wall. I don't know if I should put one fan in the 8' tall ceiling and another on the sloping ceiling or use one fan. If I use only one fan, where should it go. On the sloping ceiling or the flat 8' ceiling? Or could I position it to go at the step up poi

ANSWER:
In order for us to make a good recommendation I need to know the layout of the kitchen and where the center of the ceiling is. I also need to know the overall length and width of the room since it is somewhat ambiguous based on your description where the ceiling slopes down again. So if you can email me some pictures of your kitchen along with the dimensions that would be great. Email your pictures to: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

QUESTION:
What is the measurement from center of fan to the tip of the blade?

ANSWER:
The distance from the center of the fan to the tip of the blades for any fan is 1/2 the blade span. So in the case of the 26" Minka Aire Spacesaver the distance center to blade tip would is 13".

QUESTION:
Can the light fixture on the Casablanca Mission fan be replaced? We currently have this fan, and it works great, but would like to change the look to it.

ANSWER:
The light fixture is integrated into the bottom of the fan and is the defining feature that makes it the Casablanca Mission fan. It cannot be removed or changed.

QUESTION:
I have never installed a ceiling fan. Could I see the instructions for installing the Emerson Carrera Grande Eco 60? The fan that just died had four blades. Does it matter if the new fan has five blades?

ANSWER:
Emerson has not yet published the PDF version of the installation manual for the Carrera Grande Eco. However, the installation and hardare is essentially the same as the Carrera Grande, which is the non-DC version of the fan. You can use this link to download the Installation Manual for the Emerson Carrera Grande.

Regarding the difference between 4 and 5 blades...technically 4 blades will move more air than 5, but the difference is almost unmeasurable and should not affect your buying decision. 4 blades are easier to balance than 5, but 5 blades generate less wind noise and is the most common. Ultimately, the decision is more a personal preference based on appearance as well as availability. Since most fans come with either 3 or 5 blades nowadays, your style choices are going to be very limited when it comes to 4.

QUESTION:
Is there any special work to be done on the wiring in my home to prepare to install a ceiling fan with a DC motor?

ANSWER:
All of the ceiling fans on our website that have DC motors are designed to operated from normal household AC power and install just like any other ceiling fan. So there is no particular difference as far as the installation or electrical requirements. The AC power is converted to DC by an electronic controller that is part of the fan motor.

The question has also been asked if these fans can be hooked up directly to a DC or low voltage power supply such as a solar panel and the answer is no. They must be hooked up to a standard 110V-120V electrical supply. I have made recommendations to several manufacturers suggesting they create a DC fan with the option to run it either way, but they have yet to design such a fan.

QUESTION:
I had a friend installed my outdoor ceiling fan for my patio. The RPM rating is 160. In Florida, the fan does not move enough air to feel the air movement while sitting under it. What speed (RPM) do you recommend for this climent? We have a 288 square feet area.

ANSWER:
For starters, I would not recommend looking at RPM as the determining factor for buying a fan. Instead, you should look at the actual CFM airflow (cubic feet of airflow per minute) that the fan produces at various speeds. Nowadays, all ceiling fan manufacturers are required by the EPA to publish the actual airflow the fan produces on high speed in CFM. So although RPM affects the airflow between speeds on any particular fan, the amount of air it produces is more determined by the pitch and shape of the blades in combination with the RPM. You can have a fan that operates at over 2000 RPM with blades that are perfectly flat and it simply will not move air. Take the same fan and put an angle to the blades of about 15 degrees (this is called blade pitch) and it will move a decent amount of air at only 200 RPM depending on the aerodynamics of the blades.

My suggestion is to look for fans that can produce at least 6,500 CFM and ignore the RPMs. Our website sorts all of our fans by quality and highest CFM by default, so the first fans that come up in any search (with your chosen filters) will always be fans that we recommend the most for performance.

For more details, please read our Online Guide To Comparing Ceiling Fans.