How to find the right ceiling fan size
Ceiling fans are not only practical for moving the air when your home feels stuffy or to cool you off in the warm, summer months. They are also a simple and great way to visually spruce up the rooms in your home.
When deciding on ceiling fans for rooms in your home, you want to ensure they are the perfect size for the room of your choice. If you get one that is too big, the room will feel smaller, and vice versa.
After you determine what room will be getting a new ceiling fan (or fans), you can utilize the following guidelines below to take the guessing out of choosing the right one:
- Determine your ceiling height. Take the exact measurements of your room, and on average, the blades of your ceiling fan should be about 8 feet above the ground to be safe for friends and family of all height differences.
- Here are some additional ceiling height rules to keep in mind if you opt to install a downrod for your ceiling fan. Keep in mind that these measurements are irrelevant if you opt for a flush mounting (a mount that directly attaches the fan to the ceiling) rather than a downrod mounting.
- If your ceiling is 9 feet: room for 6-inch downrod
- If your ceiling is 10 feet: room for 12-inch downrod
- If your ceiling is 12 feet: room for 24-inch downrod
- If your ceiling is 14 feet: room for 36-inch downrod
- If your ceiling is 16 feet: room for 48-inch downrod
- If your ceiling is 18 feet: room for 60-inch downrod
- If your ceiling is 20 feet: room for 72-inch downrod
Pro tip: If you opt for a downrod mounting, make sure you get enough lead wire for the length of your downrod so you can connect your ceiling fan to your power source.
- Figure out how big the actual ceiling fan fixture should be, given the dimensions of your room. Either look up or measure how many square feet the room in your home is, and follow these general sizing guidelines:
- If your room is less than 75 square feet, choose a 29 to 36-inch fan.
- If your room is between 76 and 144 square feet, choose a 36 to 42-inch fan.
- If your room is between 144 and 225 square feet, choose a 42 to 49-inch fan.
- If your room is 225 square feet or bigger, choose a 50 to 54-inch fan.
