Lighting
101
Ceiling Fan
Tips
Ceiling fans cool you in the summer and
warm you in the winter, all for just pennies a
day. They are extremely efficient: even at high
speeds they use less energy than a 75-watt light
bulb. Actually, fans save energy, with cooling
costs alone lowered as much as 40 percent, according
to a study by Florida Power and Light. In the summer,
fans create a wind chill effect that makes a temperature
of 78°– 80°F feel like 72°F.
So by using them you can set your thermostat higher.
On most fans, the summer setting is a counter-clockwise
rotation, viewed from below. In the winter, fans
run in reverse (clockwise), reclaiming lost heat
from the ceiling. They provide an even, comfortable
temperature by moving hot air back down to the
living areas below.
What to look
for in a ceiling fan.
When shopping for a ceiling fan, you may find it difficult to determine
why one costs $50 and another $500. At first glance there may appear to be no
difference. Only when you begin to examine them closely, armed with the information
that follows, will you be able to recognize the qualities that will assure years
and years of beauty and comfort. Inexpensive fans may look good when new, and
they may even run well at first. After continued use, however, they will become
noisy; or they will warp, wobble or quickly wear out. Selecting a proper ceiling
fan should be done as carefully as picking a piece of fine furniture. Look for
a brand name, such as Craftmade, that carries with it an established reputation
for quality.
Quality made
fans will not wobble.
The reason poorly made fans wobble is because of cheap blade materials,
rotors and/or improper sealing processes are used. Blade brackets should have
exact degrees of pitch or angles, while blades should be matched in carefully
weighed and balanced sets.
Quality made
fans will not wear out early.
Those that do wear out have undergone poor manufacturing techniques or
inadequate testing and inspection. Other problems that promote wear and tear
are incorrectly matched motor size and blade pitch. Defective motor windings
can cause electrical shorts. And poorly installed on/off pull chains can be pulled
out of the housing.
Look For These
Features:
- A heavy duty motor for smooth, quiet
performance
- A 16 pole motor with 2,000+ feet of copper windings
for greater efficiency and
smoother performance
- Multiple capacitors to control starting and running
- Die-cast
aluminum rotors for cool running
- Stamped steel
or die-cast zinc housing
- Heavy duty bearings that
never need oiling because they are permanently
lubricated
- 3-speed reversible switching for summer
and winter
- 12°, 14° or 16° blade
pitch which greatly increases air flow
- Factory-installed
gaskets to reduce noise and vibration.
Lighting Tips
How
much light do I need?
- As
we get older, we require more light. At
age 50, we need twice as much light to see
well as we
did at age 20 and we are more sensitive
to glare. Good lighting can help by increasing
contrast
on adjacent surfaces to “clarify” the
space.
- The
quantity of light you need depends on the
nature of the task - how easy it is to see – and
the age of the person performing it.
- The
quality of the task lighting is also important.
Guidelines
for selecting a chandelier:
- Dining
room chandeliers should be selected according
to the room and the table size. The diameter
should be approximately the diameter of the table
less 12 inches. This is so that people will not
hit their heads when standing up.
- In
ceilings of 10 feet or higher, multi-tiered chandeliers
can be elegant and dramatic.
- The
chandelier should be 30-36 inches above the table
(add 3 inches per foot of ceiling height above
8 feet).
- These
are only guidelines and there are always
exceptions to the rule.
Lamp Tips
- The
choice of your table lamp may sound easy
but to be able to get the best and make the
most
of your purchase, it is important to consider
some guidelines when you buy your lamp.
Your choice can depend on the style of your
console
table and the style of lamp that is appropriate
for the table. It is important to know
the specific purpose for using the lamp.
Will this be for
task lighting like reading, sewing or other
work? Will it be for creating a romantic
ambiance or
a sophisticated and classy look or mood?
Will it be used to create an accent in one
specific
area of the room?.
- Look for a lamp
of sufficient height to accommodate it’s
location. Many of the very inexpensive lamps
found at the large retailers are very short
and made
with lesser quality materials.
- Look for the wattage
rating of the socket. Again, some of the
lesser quality lamps have plastic sockets rated
for 60
watts max. Most of the better lamps have
three way sockets rated to handle up to 150
watts.
- Last but not least,
make sure the style adds to the overall mood
of the design. Lamps can be a big part of the
look
you are trying to achieve. Don’t just
settle because of a low price. Remember,
this will be
a purchase that will be with you for many
years to come.
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