Modern Ceiling Fans

Outdoor ceiling fans come in two specific grades – some can be left out in all conditions, whereas others can only be used in a covered area.

Outdoor ceiling fans work in pretty much the same way as more traditional indoor ceiling fans, except that are designed to operate in less than ideal conditions. They will usually need to be capable of withstanding humid and wet conditions, and probably reasonably strong winds too. For this reason you will probably find that most outdoor fans are slightly more expensive than indoor ones.

If you have the inclination, there’s lots of places you can install outdoor ceiling fans – patios, porches, poolside, canopies, carport, and no doubt several others too. A good quality outdoor fan should be graded as UL Wet Listed or UL Damp Listed for covered structures depending on where you are going to install it. This grading ensures the fan will be capable of operating in it’s environment without any safety hazards or issues.

The beauty of an outdoor ceiling fan is that they obviously help to circulate the air and maintain a comfortable temperature and living environment, but they can also help reduce those annoying flying insects as well.

Outdoor ceiling fans graded as UL Damp Listed can be only used in covered constructions or structures like patios, sun rooms and porches that are open but not directly exposed to outside and external elements of wind and rain. This grade of fan is designed to handle some moisture from damp conditions but not full on wind or rain.

UL Wet Listed fans are the next level up – which means as well as being suitable for all installations where you can install a UL Damp Listed fan, these are specifically suitable for direct exposure to outdoor elements (sun, wind, rain, snow etc)

Most outdoor ceiling fans are of robust or even rugged construction made from materials such as plastic, stainless steel and perhaps even tarnish resistant brass or copper. They should also have sealed motor units to protect the electrical workings from the outside elements.