Ceiling Fans or Chandeliers? Learn When to Use a Fan or a Chandelier

The big debate between ceiling fans and chandeliers has been there among the interior designers for quite a long time now. We’ve seen debates between spouses over these two options when moving into a new house, or at the time of home remodeling.

Even though both the options have their pros and cons, to some, one is an ugly piece of junk and a waste of money and space, while the other is like a valuable pearl that they can’t live without. Ceiling fans win the race at times, while chandeliers beat them at other times.

However, the million dollar question remains – which one is better? A ceiling fan, or a chandelier?

The answer to this question is that, well, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. A ceiling fan can be a far better option in some cases, while in other instances, chandeliers can have extra advantages over ceiling fans. This varies from person to person and depends on many factors such as the reason you are installing the fixture for, whether you are willing to tolerate some noise in the room or not, whether you would prefer benefits over aesthetics, etc.

What follows is a comparison between ceiling fans and chandeliers, and their pros and cons. The goal here is to help you analyze your situation and choose the option that better suits your needs.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in…

Times when a ceiling fan is better than a chandelier

A ceiling fan is an appliance mounted at the ceiling of a building. The electrically powered device has a motor that rotates blades which waft air in the room. Usually, a ceiling fan is bigger and slower than other types of fans. The device is useful in air conditioning, lighting, and pest control. Below are situations in which a ceiling fan may prove to be a better option than a chandelier.

Air conditioning

Ceiling fans are types of circulating fans which operate from the ceiling. These machines are mounted on the ceiling to circulate air in the room. Circulation of air is essential as it plays a part in air conditioning. The wind chill effect produced by ceiling fans makes homes and offices cozy.

While the fans do not have any air-cooling mechanism of their own, they promote the seamless flow of fresh air. As you may already know that ceiling fans do not (yes do not!) cool the air, rather they circulate air around the room. This causes rapid evaporation of sweat in human skin, thus making us feel cool.

Anytime to want to warm your room (during winter maybe), turn your thermostat and run your fan clockwise. Of course, you will need an advanced fan with a counter-rotation capability. The clockwise rotation of the fan will force warm air to move down towards the floor. The fan will distribute the warm air, thus warming the room without causing any fuss.

Also, ceiling fans use a lot less electricity than air conditioners. Fans can lower HVAC-related electricity bills by 35 percent. So, they reduce the need for an AC unit in most cases, something that chandeliers don’t.

Pro Tip: When buying a ceiling fan, make sure to choose those rated as “ENERGY STAR®.” Fans with this rating have a 20% more efficiency of moving air than ordinary varieties.

Size of the room

How high is your ceiling? According to the US Department of Energy, ceiling fans work best in rooms that are 7 to 9 feet above the bottom surface. The ideal distance between the fans and the tip of the ceiling should be 10-12 inches.

Needless to state, fans with large blades serve a large room. A 40-inch diameter fan can cover more or less a 200-square feet area. Those that measure 50 inches or more are ideal for larger sized rooms.

Read this guide to learn more on how to measure the size for your ceiling fans correctly: How To Measure Ceiling Fan Size: Know These Tips Before Buying

In short, fans are ideal in small rooms while chandeliers work best in large halls or buildings with a high ceiling.

Bug Deterrents

This may come as a surprise to many fan-enthusiasts, but did you know that ceiling fans are good bug deterrents? Well, if you install high-quality fans at specific places of your home, you could discourage pests.

During springs and summers, most American homes have hard time-fighting pests- especially insects. Mosquitoes, moths, flies, and gnats are very obnoxious during these seasons. In the worst case scenario, bugs are vectors to deadly diseases. Such dangers necessitate a smart and easy way to eradicate pests.

You can control pests using pesticides, chemicals, electric killers and ultrasound repellants. However, you can also use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans offer a mechanical way of keeping these obstinate creatures from your family’s lives. Whether it is a barbeque or a kitchen that you’re trying to keep clean, a ceiling fan will come in handy.

The fan makes it difficult for flying insects to move in or around the house. It creates a sweeping current of air that disturbs the flying path of the pests. Sometimes, when the fan is running fast, it will hit the insects. Such disturbances make it impossible for the bugs to mate or find food. So, the creatures die off and that way, you get to eradicate them from your home.

The rule of the thumb is to install the right fan at the right part of your house. The ceiling fans dedicated to pest control should, therefore, be powerful enough to create currents that can move flying bugs.

Then, you should install it at places where you either want to deter bugs from entering your home. The patio is one of the ideal places to install ceiling fans. Mounting a ceiling fan at your patio or entrance to your house will keep these annoying bugs away. It’s impossible for a chandelier to fight pests as ceiling fans do.

Functional lighting and elegant versatility

A fan will not only make your office or room comfortable but also illuminate it. Long gone are the days when the only function of a fan was to circulate air. Modern ceiling fans come with built-in lighting systems.

As a pro tip, find those fans that contribute with your house’s design and décor. The good thing is that modern fans are not just some piece of machine that you mount on your ceiling. Instead, present age fan manufacturers pay attention to elegance too.

Cutting-edge ceiling fans come with beautiful lighting and blade designs that form part of the home’s décor. Fortunately, you can kick guesswork out of your decision making by picking appliances with a similar style. For instance, some of the fans come from chains of interior design’s collections. Thus, you can choose machines, fans, and other devices that are part of your unique style.

In short, ceiling fans are more than just devices with rotating blades; they have a myriad of purposes. Some fans have with them replaceable blades to help you reinvent your design. They can also form part of your home’s lighting and HVAC systems. This level of versatility is absent in chandeliers.

Interesting read on ceiling fans:

Are Ceiling Fans Outdated? Here Are 11 Reasons To Still Consider Them
Best Ceiling Fan Brands: 8 Brands That Offer The Most Value
Are Ceiling Fans Dangerous or Safe? Can They Explode?

Times when a chandelier proves to be a better option than a ceiling fan

Chandeliers are suspended-lights which, apart from lighting the room, make it exquisite. Classic chandeliers have a large number of crystal prisms which refract light in the room. Traditional girandoles have a minimalist design with bulbs and other lamps. Sometimes, conventional chandeliers have translucent glass that covers every lamp.

However, advanced chandeliers have LEDs and gems and also employ both classic and traditional designs. No doubt, there are several situations when a chandelier beats a ceiling fan hands down.

Aesthetics

Modern-day ceiling fans are elegant and come with a customizable sense of décor. But, none comes close to the kind of aesthetic quality that a chandelier brings. A set of suspended lights turns your house into a palace, literally.

The lamp consists of creatively designed patterns of lights hanged on the ceiling. Its crystals and a superb style make it worth the look for everyone who visits your home.

The beauty of these lamps articulates into any interior design or décor style. Hanging a chandelier in your house will create a top class convergence point for your guests or family.

If you aim at acquiring lamps that are both beautiful and functional, chandeliers should be your first choice.

Durability

Chandeliers made of bulbs and glass can be quite fragile, right? Well, fortunately, wooden, metallic and crystal units are not only sturdy but also long-lasting. Crystal chandelier lights are small stones which refract the light in the room. This creates an elegant glare.

Crystal gems are made from molten rocks. The rocks are cut into prisms using meticulous techniques. The fantastic look of crystal gems does not wear out even in harsh conditions. Such strength makes chandeliers outlast ceiling fans. Remember, the later gets its blades easily damaged after a fall or compression.

The height of the room

The size of your room dictates whether a chandelier is worthwhile. If you want to install a candelabra lamp, the ideal minimum height of your room should be 8 feet high. Such a height makes the room comfortable as you do risk getting your scalp hit by the lamps. Again, they should always be a few inches narrower than your table.

Slow on Energy Consumption

If you’re looking for energy saving lamps, consider installing LED bulb-enhanced chandeliers. Apart from the exquisite experience they give you, LED bulbs are the real deal when it comes to beating energy prices.

According to Energy Star, Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are by far the most efficient bulbs in terms of converting electric current into light energy. Such lamps are 90% more energy-efficient than an incandescent bulb. LEDs are simple, light and small. When an electric current passes through their microchip, it illuminates the minuscule LEDs. Illumination of these tiny components results in visible light. Then, extra heat produced is sucked up by a heat sink.

Durability is yet another advantage of using LED chandeliers. Typically, LED lights do not burn out as incandescent lamps do. So, you get to cut your electricity bills and maintenance or replacement costs hugely. The only situation when you may require to replace the diodes is when they decrease their light emission capabilities by 30%.

Ceiling fans have a motor that needs a substantial amount of power to rotate the blades. Motors have a high affinity for consuming power. Thus, diode and crystal chandeliers have lower energy consumption than fans.

Save space

Normally, a well-lit room has several lights on the wall and lampstands on the floor. Such lights require much drilling and consume too much space. This means you must have a large room. A chandelier steps in the gap to reduce the amount of space wasted.

You see, the lamp is generally hanged on the ceiling. Installing it at the top makes space available at the walls and floor, which is precisely what every designer is looking for!

Plus, you have enough light without having to drill your walls. Ordinary lamps require you to make perforations on the wall, and this makes the drywalls horrid. When you want to remodel your house, you’d first have to fill in those holes. A chandelier does not require any drilling of the wall.

Conclusion

Choosing between a chandelier and a ceiling fan can be quite a confusing task for many homeowners. Fans freshen air, control pests, offer lighting, and enhance décor. If you want an appliance to complement your HVAC systems, look no further than ceiling fans. But, when you are an interior design aficionado, you’ll undoubtedly fall for the chandeliers.

As to which one between ceiling fans and chandeliers is a better option than the other, it’s always a decision that varies from person to person. The cardinal rule here is to go for what suits your home- and undoubtedly, your heart!