Ceiling fans for low ceilings?
August 27th, 2009 | 
Author:
My upstairs ceilings for about 7 1/2 feet tall. There are three bedrooms upstairs. I have one a/c unit that runs downstairs and one that runs upstairs. It’s been extremely hot in Alabama with temperatures over 100 for most of the month. I keep the upstairs thermostat set at 72 degrees. The temperature in each of the rooms runs at about 75 degrees when it gets very hot. The thermostat in the hallway says it’s about 78-80 degrees.
I’ve had this house up for sale for nearly 8 months now. I’m wondering if the warmer upstairs temperature is turning off some potential customers. Especially those that have lived in one story houses.
Is it worth trying to install ceiling fans upstairs to try and cool those rooms? Are there low hugging fans with built in lights? Will the fans potentially turn off a prospective client?
I just went to my local Lowe’s and Home Depot and neither one of them carry ceiling hugger fans.
In addition to fans to help with air distribution you may want to consider improving the insulation and also adding radiant barrier in the attic to keep heat from coming in through the ceiling.
Low profile Ceiling Fans are available. Keep in mind that the less expensive fans are going to have smaller, less powerful motors and flatter angled blades that move less air so the weak motor won’t have to work very hard. Sometimes the blades are almost flat and just spin around without any air movement. They also may have thinner blades to save money, but then they will wobble more. So if you get low profile fans then get the best one you can afford, compare the blade angles and get a lifetime motor warranty.
If you have a high stairwell from the first floor to the second then you may also want to consider mounting a ceiling fan in the stairwell. Set the fan direction to draw air upward (typically the reverse/winter setting) instead of blowing downward like it normally does in the Summer. This will move cooler air from the first floor to the second floor and help with the uneven temperature.
Additional Info after question updated:
Online they call them "Low Profile III" by Hunter Fan at both Lowes and Home Depot websites. They come in 42" and 52" diameters and at least 3 finishes. Home Depot lists 4 low profile light fixtures for these fans and Lowes lists 1 on their websites. The store may have different inventory, but they have had them when I visited in the past.
Need advice having to do with weird electrical problem with ceiling fans?
Posted in Ceiling Fans
They do make ceiling hugger fans that are about the same cost as the regular ones. Anytime you can circulate air, it will be an advantage.
I would think attractive ceiling fans would be more of a plus than a minus.
The cost really isn’t that much when you consider a quicker sale on your home.
References :
Yes, you can buy fans that connect directly to the box in the ceiling and do not hang by the bevel. As far as lights go, I think you should go with the bowl type and not the 4 lights on arms. That takes up too much ceiling space. I have never known ceiling fans to be a turn off to buyers, just the opposite. Good luck.
Edit: You said you went to Lowe’s & Home Depot. Did you ask for "Low Profile" fans? I had never heard the term ceiling hugger until you mentioned it.. But to be more specific, when you talk to the salesperson ask if the fans can be connected directly to the box to avoid hanging them down from the bevel or rod. Most if not all fans can do this.
References :
Licensed Contractor and former RE Salesman who has hung quite a few ceiling fans.
I was going to suggest that a flush mount ceiling fan would help in each of the those rooms ~ until I realized you said the house has been on the market for 8 months.
People don’t usually think about summer temperatures in the winter or spring. If the house hasn’t sold, there’s something else going on.
References :
me ~ had been a real estate broker for 10 years
As far as I know there are no fans that hug the celling. There is one fan that has no blades and send the air parallel to the celling. The lights may be a difficult problem. By the way these fans are over 1500 dollars each But they are filters as well as air movers.
References :
Experience
first … yes you can get ceiling fans for low ceilings
they are refered to as ceiling huggers
NO they can not be installed UNLESS the ceiling is a minimum of 7 ft 3 in
the upstairs A/C unit is over worked and under sized from the sound of it
ceiling fans will help considerably
and a good looking ceiling hugging fan adds to a rooms decore
plus you can get them at K mart or wal mart for a bout 25 dollars each
pretty inexpensive fix i would think
References :
Ceiling fans are always a selling point, if they are good quality and not the 29.95 type. The make " Celing Huggers" in the major home improvement stores…spend a few bucks !!
References :
28 yrs maintenance field
Save your money.
The electrical boxes that are in the ceiling need to have additional support added to the to accommodate the added weight and down force the fan will create.
The hugger fans are sold at home depot and lowes with hugger light kits, usually florescent and ugly.
References :
Electrician for 28 years
In addition to fans to help with air distribution you may want to consider improving the insulation and also adding radiant barrier in the attic to keep heat from coming in through the ceiling.
Low profile ceiling fans are available. Keep in mind that the less expensive fans are going to have smaller, less powerful motors and flatter angled blades that move less air so the weak motor won’t have to work very hard. Sometimes the blades are almost flat and just spin around without any air movement. They also may have thinner blades to save money, but then they will wobble more. So if you get low profile fans then get the best one you can afford, compare the blade angles and get a lifetime motor warranty.
If you have a high stairwell from the first floor to the second then you may also want to consider mounting a ceiling fan in the stairwell. Set the fan direction to draw air upward (typically the reverse/winter setting) instead of blowing downward like it normally does in the Summer. This will move cooler air from the first floor to the second floor and help with the uneven temperature.
Additional Info after question updated:
Online they call them "Low Profile III" by Hunter Fan at both Lowes and Home Depot websites. They come in 42" and 52" diameters and at least 3 finishes. Home Depot lists 4 low profile light fixtures for these fans and Lowes lists 1 on their websites. The store may have different inventory, but they have had them when I visited in the past.
References :