Patton Tilt-Head 3-Speed Floor Fan, 18-Inch

When that summer heat strikes or you need some background noise, a good floor fan can be your best friend. There are several types of floor fans to meet your needs. You will find that one kind works better in small spaces versus large areas. Also, some have more powerful motors that can circulate the air much better than others. There are several styles and designs, so you can even personalize the look to complement your space. Before shopping, let’s take a look at how fans function.

There are three main ways fans operate. An axial fan is a unit that uses its blades to produce the current of airflow. You can increase or decrease the intensity of the breeze, depending on the number of blades, length of the blades and how quickly the blades rotate. The direction of the blades also plays a role in the effectiveness of the fan.

Another way for a fan to create a breeze is with a centrifugal design. In this type of fan, the blades are perpendicular to the breeze being created. The centrifugal fans are good for controlling humid areas since they make a higher-pressure breeze current. They work to negate humid spaces as well, such as basements and attics.

A third way that a fan works is with bladeless systems. Although these fans appear to be completely void of blades, they are just well-hidden in the base along with intake vents. The air that is sucked up through the intake valves is released out a small opening in the top circular part. In addition, the air around the fan is sucked into the circulation and produces an even stronger breeze. The biggest pro to the bladeless system is the consistent airflow that it creates and the sleek appearance to the unit itself.

When shopping for floor fans, the measurement you want to pay attention to is the CFM or cubic feet per minute. This is the amount of airflow that the fan gives off across a measured area, during a minute’s time. A good rating is around 670 CFM for a small room fan. You can’t always find this measurement on the packaging because most fans have multiple settings. With each setting is a different CFM rating, and the rating wouldn’t be accurate for different sized and designed areas. For example, if your space has an entire wall of windows but another consumer’s space has insulated walls all the way around, the effectiveness of the fan would be drastically different. This, among other factors, including the number of occupants, can influence how quickly a fan will cool a space.

After you’ve decided what kind of fan you’d like for your space, you’ll want to pick a style. Tower fans offer sleek appearances and a wider range of breeze from the other types.

The pedestal fans feature floor stands that the fan sits atop for high-reaching air circulation. They are used mostly in buildings with high ceilings, such as churches, warehouses or even outdoors. You’ll find them quite effective on a sticky day when the humidity is high, and there is no breeze to be found.

Personal fans are perfect for smaller spaces such as bedrooms or bathrooms.  Don’t let the small size deceive you — these fans do a phenomenal job of circulating the air.

You’ll want to take your space into consideration when buying a floor fan. The number of windows, the number of people usually occupying the room, the height of your ceilings and the amount of sunlight it gets are all things to consider when picking the right fan. When you take all the factors into account, you will surely find the best floor fan for your space.

• For a large room, you may want to consider an oscillating floor fan. This will help keep the air circulating throughout the room as the fan turns.
• If you want to conserve energy but keep the air moving, opt for a fan that has a timer setting. Set it to go off when you plan on leaving the house and your energy bill will reflect your savings.
• The tower fans are ideal for small spaces. They are tall and thin and can be tucked into a corner away from foot traffic.
• Consider noise levels of the fan while in operation. If you will be using a fan in an office setting, you may want to go check out fans at the store first before buying online. This will help you decide if the noise is tolerable or not for your space. On the other side, if you need some noise to sleep and that is a secondary purpose of your floor fan, you’ll do best to try out fans in the store.