The phrase “good things come in small packages” could easily apply to today’s assortment of ceiling fans that have been deliberately designed for small spaces such as laundry rooms, walk-in closets, breakfast nooks, condos, or any home with low (8- or 9-foot) ceilings.
These types of ceiling fans are often described as “low-profile,” “flush mount” or “hugger” fans, so if you are looking online or in store, use those descriptions in your search. These fans do not have the typical downrod extending from the ceiling canopy. Instead, they are installed flush to the ceiling surface, thus “hugging” the ceiling. (Aww, how cute!)
In today’s economic environment with rising energy costs and the hot summer months just ahead, installing a hugger ceiling fan in a bedroom, home office, or other small space instead of running an AC unit will help save money. Running a ceiling fan allows you to raise the temperature on your thermostat by two degrees.
It is important to note that a ceiling fan does not literally lower the room’s temperature. Because of a phenomenon called the “wind chill effect,” where air moving across your skin helps to evaporate sweat at a faster rate, you actually feel cooler and therefore can raise the thermostat by two degrees to save energy without sacrificing comfort.
Furthermore, many of these ceiling fans are available with LED light to provide ambient lighting along with your increased comfort. Since LED burns much cooler than incandescent bulbs, this will also help the room feel cooler than if incandescent lights were used!
What you want to pay close attention to is the blade span. There are hugger ceiling fans with smaller blade spans, like 42 to 44 inches, and there are models with 52- to 56-inch blade span.
While the low-profile mount will give enough clearance vertically for people or objects below, you need to make sure the blades are not too close to any surrounding walls. If the room is a generous size, but merely has a low ceiling, most likely a 52- or 56-inch fan would be suitable. Tighter spaces like a walk-in closet or laundry room might need a low-profile fan with a 42-inch blade span.
Make sure to mount ceiling fans 12 inches away from walls and forced air vents and try to center them above where people gather. (In bedrooms, center the fans above the foot of the bed, not the head, as shown in the photo above.)
Hugger and low-profile ceiling fans offer the same benefits of their larger counterparts: they often have multiple speeds plus reverse, dimming capability for the light kit, a convenient remote control, and a choice of finish combinations. All that is different is how the ceiling fans are mounted and, in some cases, the blade span.
This is the year to save every bit of energy that you can this summer and installing additional ceiling fans in your home can help!
Shop our selection of hugger ceiling fans now. You can also read our ceiling fan sizing guide.
