It’s a hot, sticky day and you emerge at home from your nicely air-conditioned car. The A/C at home has been on low efficiency – or turned off entirely – while you were at work. It will take a while to move the temperature down to a tolerable level, so in the meantime, you seek out the coolest room in your home. Wouldn’t this be a good time for a ceiling fan?

Ceiling fans not only provide that delightful breeze – drying your skin and cooling it at the same time – but they can also save you money. By keeping air circulating around your home, you move the cold air around and the air movement actually helps human bodies stay cooler. In winter, this effect is called the “wind chill,” and the same theory is at work during the summer – but it’s a lot more pleasant. Because of wind chill, homeowners can lower their energy costs by setting a higher A/C temperature – without loss of comfort.

Today’s ceiling fans are more efficient than ever, and come in nearly unlimited choices of finish, width, blade count and light. Traditionalists can choose from hundreds of styles in Panama-style fans or cottage-inspired wooden finishes. Find these styles from Casablanca (Panama, Heritage), Kichler (Basics or Eads lines), Minka Aire (Classica, Delano) and Monte Carlo (Penninsula, Homebuilder II).

But most ceiling fan manufacturers now offer a stunning selection of contemporary styles – ranging from nearly unrecognizable-as-fans designs to broadly sweeping designs with anywhere from one to eight blades. Contemporary finishes are often metals: brushed nickel, stainless steel, silver and even matte black. Check out the Light Wave from Minka Aire, featuring a sculptural 3-blade design with integrated LED light. Or the Torto from Fanimation – a contemporary design that moves air down at an angle, rather than straight down.

There are huggers for lower-ceiling rooms or finished basements and oversized fans (60″, 70″ or even 84″) for high foyers and maximum air circulation.

Keep your porch, patio or deck cool this summer with a wet- or damp-rated outdoor fan – also available in a broad selection of metal, resin or acrylic blades to stand up to wilting humidity.

Before deciding on a fan, be sure to talk to one of our ceiling fan experts. We can help you choose the right fan for indoors or out and help you sort through the often-confusing number of options including blade pitch, size, downrod length, light kit and speed.