Home Improvement : Ceiling Fan Can Save Energy Year-Round

QUESTION: I want to get a ceiling paddle fan for my family room to lower both my cooling and heating bills. With so many designs available, how can I determine which is the best fan to buy?

ANSWER: A ceiling paddle fan not only is attractive and makes you feel more comfortable, but it also can lower utility bills year-round. In the summer, a ceiling paddle can make 76-degree moving air feel as comfortable as 72-degree still air. Some fans even have remote controls (like a TV) with memory to control the speed, direction, and light brightness.

There are hundreds of designs of ceiling paddle fans available. It is important to choose the proper features and size, not just the lowest price. A cheap fan can be noisy, wobble and produce little air movement.

Select the proper size fan. A fan that is too large can cause drafts even on low speed in the winter. An undersized fan must be run on the noisier higher speeds in the summer to feel the breeze. Although it is not always easy to distinguish a good-quality fan from a poor one by appearance, there are some key features to look for--type of motor housing, type of bearings, size of motor, composition of blades, pitch of blades, range of speeds, remote automatic speed and lighting controls, and sound and vibration-isolating features.

A die cast or cast iron motor housing is best. These are made to tight tolerances. The heavier material, as compared to a thin steel stamping, dissipates heat better, is more durable, and provides long motor life. A larger, higher output motor also runs cooler and quieter. Double-shielded, permanently-lubricated bearings are most durable and quiet.

High-quality blades are warp-resistant and maintain their balance. Carefully inspecting the quality of the finish is a good indicator of quality. Although some solid wood blades are good, most multilayered (up to eight cross-grained layers) wood blades hold up very well. Some sets of high-quality blades are balanced to within just three grams of one another.

The steeper the pitch angle (twist) of the blades, the better. A steeper pitch moves more air at a lower speed. Better-quality fans have a blade pitch up to 14 degrees, often indicating a more-powerful motor. A large speed range from low to high gives more control and comfort, especially in reversed rotation in the winter.

A rubberized flywheel or rubber-mounted blade holders reduce vibrations and noise. A flexible ceiling mount and special washers in the motor can reduce the sound transmission to the ceiling where it is often amplified.

You can write to me for Utility Bills Update No. 300 showing a buyer’s guide of highest-quality ceiling paddle fan manufacturers and models listing motor housing material, bearing type, blade material and pitch, range of speeds, type of remote controls, and a chart to determine the size you need. Please include $1.50 and a self-addressed business-size envelope. Send your requests to James Dulley, c/o Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.

Barrier Wrap Cuts Home Air Leakage

Q: I am building an addition to my house and wonder if I should add an air barrier wrap under the siding. Is it worth the money to add it?

A: With standard studded wall construction, an air barrier house wrap is one of the best methods to reduce air leakage into your house. The film wrap material allows water vapor to pass through it but not air.

At a cost of about 10 cents per square foot, it is worth the money, especially if you are doing the work yourself. To be most effective, make sure you tape all the edges and joints.

Letters and questions to Dulley, a Cincinnati-based engineering consultant, may be sent to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.