Cool it yourself

It’s not true that, south of the equator, ceiling fans rotate in the opposite direction. But it’s true that in Hawaii, where architecture is often designed around the tradewinds, ceiling fans are popular for adding to interior breezes.

"I bought a Hunter fan for only $100 or so that has big beautiful carved leaves as fan blades, and it works really well at moving the air," said Honolulu financial consultant Kirk Barth. "Except that the carvings get dusty. But I’m a guy and I don’t dust as often as I should, so it all works out."

According to Hawaiian Electric Co., using ceiling fans instead of an air conditioner can save local consumers more than $70 a month. That’s because ceiling fans don’t use any more electricity than a normal ceiling outlet. HECO also points out that EnergyStar-rated ceiling fan and lights are more efficient and can earn taxpayers a rebate.

HECO advises that ceiling fans "should be installed so that the blades are 7 to 9 feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches below the ceiling for plenty of air flow. A fan with a diameter of 44 inches is adequate for a room up to 225 square feet. For a large room longer than 18 feet, you can install two smaller fans."

Used in partnership with an air conditioner, a ceiling fan increases air movement, making the air conditioner more efficient by several degrees, which in turn allows the thermostat to be set a bit higher. Every degree pays off in electricity savings.

Honolulu electrician Chris Richardson points out there’s a national building code regarding ceiling fan installation. "You have to use a ‘fan-rated’ outlet box, which is deep and sturdy, not one of those little plastic pancakes," he said. "Fan-rated boxes have long screws to attach them securely to joists, and electrical inspectors want the lines going in stapled firmly. That’s because fans move, and even a little movement, rocking back and forth, can result in the electrical line slowly being sawed through."

If there is no sturdy joist in the right spot, said Richardson, there are fan-rated brackets that expand and attach between adjacent joists, handy if you have a canec ceiling.

Tomalee Waage, manager at The Fan Shop in Waimalu, said Hawaii customers seem more interested in EnergyStar-rated ceiling fans than mainland fan users, "partly because it saves on electricity but also because they’re well made. We deal with a lot of humidity and salt air here, and that requires a humidity-rated fan to survive."

The cheaper fans in the big-box stores might not explain on the package whether they’re humidity-resistant. A specialty shop such as Pacific Ceiling Fans, which has been in business since 1981, has people on staff who can explain such things.

The bottom line is the bottom line — you get what you pay for. A good ceiling fan, said Waage, will cost you at least $100 to $150.

Speaking of fan blades, cheaper fans have blades made of compressed paper, like a dense cardboard. As they rotate in high humidity, the leading edge of the blade puffs up over time, throwing the blade off balance and disrupting the air flow. "Wooden or plastic blades holder up a lot longer and are easier to clean," said Waage.

She also said that fan installation is sometimes tricky, and it’s safest to have an experienced technician do it to make sure the fan is balanced and securely attached.

Ceiling fans in Hawaii are available at specialty stores like Pacific Ceiling Fans and The Fan Shop; at home-improvement outlets like Home Depot, Lowes and City Mill; and lighting stores.