Recent home decor trends indicate that both indoor and outdoor ceiling fans are more popular than ever. From patios to porches and even in the baby's room, ceiling fans circulate air without making the room too cold. This is a major advantage in the spring and early summer, when temperatures rise in the daytime but not to such extremes where refrigerated air is needed. Ceiling fans also cool smaller areas and cost very little to operate. If you are thinking about adding one or more of these fans to your home, there are several factors to keep in mind before you make a final decision.

Blade Size

Not all ceiling fans have the same size blades. The smaller and shorter the blades, the less square feet it will cool. When you're shopping for a fan for a particular room, before you make your choice, measure the room so that you can let the professionals at the home hardware store know the size of the room you are trying to cool. If a room is less than six feet by six feet, then a fan with 36 inch blades is ideal. For rooms that are up to 15'x15', a larger fan with wide, long blades is more suitable. This is especially true if a room has ceilings that are higher than about ten or twelve feet high.

Speed

Many fan companies make fans that have different speeds. For example, Hunter ceiling fans rotate at a speed of 158 rotations per minute. Others have two settings, while some fans only have one speed. If you want to cool a room faster, then you want to choose a fan with a number of different settings. Rooms that have higher ceilings would also benefit from fans that have more than one speed. When choosing your fan, keep in mind that the faster the blades rotate, the more noise they will make. While this may not be a problem with outdoor fans, if you plan to install a ceiling fan to cool your bedroom, you may find the noise disturbing to your sleep.

Lights

There are some ceiling fans that come equipped with lights. These fans are popular with many people because they provide both light and the comfort of cool air to a room. Depending on your budget, you can even choose a fan that runs off of a remote so that you can control both the lights and the fan from a remote. This is a great convenience that many people choose for some of the larger rooms in their home. Keep in mind, however, that installing these types of fans may take a bit more know-how than your average do-it-yourself project. There are many home hardware stores and specialty stores that can install your ceiling fans for you. Some charge a small fee, and some may install them for a discount if you spend enough money. No matter where you plan to put them, ceiling fans are a great addition to any home with their beauty and cooling comfort.