May 1st, 2020 by Sarah Miles

If you want to keep cool at home this summer, a fan is a great way of doing that. However, there are several different types of fan on the market so how do you know which is the right one for you? One size does not fit all so you need to start by considering the requirements of the space that you want to cool and start from there.

The best type of fan for your room will largely be determined by the room’s size, its use, and its characteristics.

Size of space

The bigger your room, the more power you’re going to need to get the air moving around it. A very large room will need something more robust such as an air circulation fan or an air cooler. A small room may only need a desk fan and if space is at a premium, a tower fan could be a good option as they have a small footprint, so easy to fit into a small area, but are relatively powerful due to their height. If you have lots of furniture in the room and not much floor space, desk fans can be placed on tables and chests of drawers.

Purpose of space

The way that you use the room can influence the type of fan that would be the best fit. For example, if you want a fan for a bedroom, you may prefer something that is relatively quiet so that it doesn’t disturb your sleep. Tower fans are a good choice for this as their blades are inside the unit which muffles the sound more than other types of fan.

If it’s for a home office, a USB fan can be a really convenient option as you can plug it straight into your computer rather than needing an electric socket, which may be monopolised by your office equipment.

Prem-I-Air 6" USB Operated Desk Fan

Price: £19.51

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Characteristics of space

How warm a room gets tends to be determined by its characteristics such as which direction it faces, where it is in the house and the size of the windows etc. If it is south facing it can be lovely for letting in lots of natural light but this could also mean that it gets very hot and stuffy at the height of summer. Even if the room isn’t necessarily large, you will need a more powerful fan here such as an air circulation fan or an air cooler. Similarly, a loft room can get very stuffy because of the way heat rises.

Large windows can be a great feature but could also mean more sunlight and therefore more heat. Use a more powerful fan, such as those mentioned above and use those large windows to your advantage by placing the fan near to them and keeping them open to maximise the airflow. This will provide more air for the fan to circulate around the space.

MYLEK 4L Tank Remote Control Portable Air Cooler with 4 Ice Packs

Price: £100.00

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Rooms with high ceilings can benefit from a wall-mounted or ceiling fan, as they can stop warm air settling up there and becoming stale.

Rather than just going out and buying any old fan, if you give your requirements a little thought by taking all the above into consideration and choosing the best fan according to your requirements, you’ll get much better results and a lovely cool summer!