Six of the Best Uses for Your Electric Fan

Electric fans are a cost-effective way to cool down and circulate air both in and outside of your home. There are so many different types of fans that you're sure to find one regardless of your specific needs. From window fans to industrial blowers, there truly is an electric fan for anyone and everyone. 

The majority of electric fans provide a type of climate control through axial flow. The fan blades force air either into or out of the room you're trying to cool or ventilate. Most people typically will think of four blade fans when they see the term. Usually they'll picture a small device you can use to blow air on your face during a hot day. While they're right - that is one of the best uses, after all - fans can do so much more for your house. They can help your humidity levels, protect various rooms of your house from stagnant air and even help you sleep better at night. And that's just the beginning.

When buying an electric fan, it is important to think carefully about just what you want your new fan to do, and where you plan to put it. Below are six of the best ways to use an electric fan in your home. 

1. Cool Down your Room (and yourself)

Perfect for more moderate climates, electric fans are a very inexpensive option for cooling almost any room in your home. Fans can also be quite refreshing, as they circulate cool air throughout the room. Portable fans and table fans are some of the best options for this type of use, as they are easy to move from room to room based on your needs. Be sure to pay attention to the size of the room you want to cool, as some fans work better in large rooms than others. 

2. Deal with smokers

Whether you're dealing with a small kitchen mishap or your cigar-smoking uncle, an electric fan can be a savior. Face your pedestal or table fan outside and it will suck up the smoky air and blow it outside. Follow that up by turning the fan around to blow more fresh air back into the room once the smoke has cleared. You don't even need smoke in your house to do this trick - it will work for any room that has stagnant air you'd like to remove. 

3. Sleep easier

It can be especially difficult to sleep on warm summer nights. Typically, you have to choose between the noisy air conditioner or the uncomfortable heat. A bedroom fan can be a great alternative, as it operates much quieter than an air conditioning unit does, but can still lower your room's temperature. In addition, the cool breeze from a fan can be relaxing while you try to fall asleep.  Pedestal fans are usually your best bet for the bedroom, and the variety of remote controlled options available makes these a great addition to your home.  Ceiling fans can also be perfect for moderate bedroom use.  

4. Keep humidity in check

Your electric fan can do more than just cool. By circulating air in your room, fans can also lower your humidity levels. High humidity can do a lot of damage to your home as well as your garage or even your backyard shed. Blowing fresh air into your room can keep the humidity levels down in your home, and also keep air fresh overall. The constant circulation of air can also help keep the air in your home clean as well as dry. 

5. Protect your bathroom

Through keeping moisture levels in check in your bathroom, an exhaust fan will keep your bathroom protected and looking new. Utilizing a fan in your bathroom can help you protect the area from paint peeling, doors warping and accumulation of mold. The added circulation will keep the air dryer, and will also help to remove the added moisture from a hot shower. These bathroom exhaust fans can also help to eliminate stagnant air as well as odors from the room.  

6. Accentuate your room

That's right, your fan can be so much more than a functional appliance. It can also be a decorative piece in your room.  Decorative fans come in various shapes and sizes and can accentuate just about any room in your home. The color variety of these electric fans can certainly add a refreshing change of pace from the traditional models. Best of all, they have the majority of the same features of standard fans.