To ensure that you never get bowled over by technical jargon while shopping for a ceiling fan, we have complied a complete list of all the terms that you should familiarise yourself with before you go shopping for a fan.

 

Blade(s) – The flat wooden or aluminium paddles that move through the air and create air flow.

Blade Sets – The number of blades per fan.

Blade Sweep – The overall diameter from blade tip to blade tip.

Blade Pitch – Blade pitch, measured in degrees, is the angle between the fan’s blades and the horizon. Generally, the higher the pitch, the more air that is moved, if RPM’s are the same.

Shank – The shank is the metal bracket that attaches the blade to the motor.

Canopy – The decorative cover/cup which encloses the mounting bracket & hides the mounting hardware connecting the fan’s downrod to the motor housing.

CFM – Cubic Feet per Minute is a means to measure air flow. The higher the CFM figure, the more air the fan is moving.

Downrod – The metal pipe that extends from the ceiling bracket to the top of the fan. Solent fans come supplied with a downrod that’s 230mm long. Longer downrods are available for high ceilings.

Light Kit – A light fixture that can be attached to the bottom of a fan.

Motor Housing – The decorative body of the fan which encloses the motor.

Mounting Bracket – The device that attaches the fan to the ceiling.

Remote Control – A remote control device works just like the remote control on your television. It allows you to operate your fan’s speed, on & off functions from a remote location without the need to run extra wiring from a wall switch to the fan.

RPM – Revolutions Per Minute is the number of times per minute that the fan turns.

Vaulted/Angled Ceilings – Ceilings with pitches above 30 degrees, note that you will have to install a wedge to create a horizontal platform for installation.

Wall Regulator/Control – An electrical device which replaces a wall switch and is used to control the fan. A combination fan/light switch is available but requires the running of an additional wire from the switch to the fan.