If you want to replace your ceiling fan or get new blades, it’s important to know the size of the fan you need. A large fan in a small room will take up too much ceiling space and might damage the ceiling as it spins. On the other hand, if you get a fan that’s too small, it will get lost in the space and might not move air around efficiently.
In order to figure out your fan size, you need to take measurements. This isn’t hard and you probably already have the tools in your house.
We put this guide together so you know how to measure your fan size. That way, you’ll know what size fan to look for if you have to replace it. Or, if you need new blades, you’ll know which size blades to get. We’ll also tell you how big of a fan you need for the size space you have. We hope you find this helpful.
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How to Measure Fan Size
There are three key fan measurements: the fan’s diameter, the length of its blades, and how much downrod there is between the ceiling and blade unit.
The diameter is the most common measurement you’ll need. Ceiling fans come in even-inch increments. So, if after measuring, you’re only half an inch off on either side of an even-inch increment, you can round up or down accordingly.
Place your tape measure at the tip of one of your blades and measure the distance to the middle of the fan.
If your fan has an odd number of blades, you can just double the measurement of the one blade to find the diameter. That’s because fans with an odd number of blades have empty spaces opposite the fan blades.
For fans with an even number of blades, there will be a blade opposite the blade you’re measuring. So, you can measure tip-to-tip from one blade to the opposite blade.
To measure the fan blades themselves, measure from the tip of the blade to the blade’s end in the arm. These are also sized in inch increments, so if you get a measurement that looks like it’s three-quarters of an inch, just round up.
To measure the downrod, you should measure the amount of space between the ceiling and the top of the fan blade unit.
You’ll want at least seven feet of clearance between the floor and the fan so the blades don’t hit people. The higher the ceiling, the more downrod you can buy so the fan hangs lower. That way, it does a more effective job of circulating air.
How to Measure Ceiling Fans
Measuring a ceiling fan is pretty simple. Measure it from the tip of one blade to the tip of another blade. If your fan has an even number of blades, the blades are opposite from each other and easy to measure. If you have an odd number of blades, there will be an empty space opposite each blade.
For an odd number of blades, measure from the tip of one blade to the center of the fan and double it.
Since ceiling fans come in standard sizes, you don’t need precise measures. Most ceiling fans come in even-inch size increments, so if your measurement comes out half an inch short of one, you know to just add that half inch.
In addition, there are two other measurements you might want to take. The first is the size of the blade. To do this, all you need to do is measure the blade from the tip to where it is screwed into the arm. Blades also come in inch increments, so don’t worry if it isn’t precise.
The final measurement you’ll want to take is that of the downrod. The downrod is the rod that connects the mount at the ceiling to the fan blade unit.
You’ll always want at least seven feet of clearance between the floor and the bottom of the ceiling fan so the blades don’t hit anyone in the head. If your ceiling is low, then you’ll need a short downrod. Alternatively, if your ceiling is tall, you can get a longer downrod.
One thing to think about is whether your ceiling slopes at an especially steep angle. If that’s the case, you may need a longer downrod to ensure the fan blades don’t scrape the sloping ceiling.
What is the Right Ceiling Fan Size?
Figuring out the proper ceiling fan size for your room depends on the amount of space you have. If your room is square or rectangular, multiply width by length. This will give you the room’s square footage.
For rooms with square footage up to 144 feet, buy a fan with a diameter of 42 inches. For rooms with a square footage between 145 and 225 feet, you should buy a fan with a diameter of 44 inches. If your room has a square footage between 226 feet and 400 feet, look for a fan with a diameter of 52 inches.
In addition, if you have an especially large room, you might need to buy more than one fan.
Remember to also calculate the amount of space between the ceiling mount and the top of the fan unit, so you know how much downrod you need. You want at least seven feet of space.
What is a Standard-Size Fan?
Not too long ago, there were three standard sizes of fans: 42 inches, 48 inches, and 52 inches. Today, there are fans as small as 24 inches and as large as 96 inches.
While it’s smart to stick with the original sizes under ordinary circumstances, there are reasons to deviate. For example, putting multiple smaller fans in a large, rectangular room would look awkward.
What Size Ceiling Fan Do I Need for a 12×12 Room?
To know what size fan you need for a 12×12-foot room, you need to know the square footage of the room. Do that by multiplying the length by the width. In this case, 12×12 comes out to 144 square feet.
Rooms that size require fans no bigger than 42 inches in diameter.
Conclusion
Measuring your fan size is simple and all you need is a tape measure. Most fans come in standard sizes, so you don’t need to worry about measurements that come out to 52.33 inches because the fan size would be 52 inches.
When measuring a fan, you want to know three things. The fan’s diameter is the most basic measurement, the blade length will tell you how long replacement blades should be, and the downrod tells you how much space there is between the ceiling and the top of the fan unit.
We hope you found this guide to measuring fan sizes helpful. If you did, leave a comment down below. You can also share it on your social media networks in case your friends have the same questions.