When summer rolls back around, you are sure to face a timeless dilemma: sit outside and enjoy the weather, but suffer from potential heat stroke, or stay inside and miss out on the warm temperatures. Even if you are not planning on doing anything physical and simply want to sit outside on your patio, you may still be overwhelmed by heat or humidity. A great solution that you may overlook is installing an outdoor fan to circulate the air and save you from being scorched. The Charleston Lighting team has some tips to help you decide if an outdoor fan is right for you and how to select the right one.

Outdoor Fan Weather Ratings

Any old fan won’t do for your needs. It is important to remember that Mother Nature is fickle and does not care what your plans are, so you have to be ready for what she has in store. To make an informed decisions, you need to look at the ratings of fans in regards to how they handle the elements. There are three major categories of fan ratings:

• Dry Rated: these fans are not what you are looking for when it comes to your outside needs. Dry-rated fans are more electronic in nature and made with woods and parts that are more conducive to your living room or bedroom than a patio.
• Damp Rated: These are the middle-ground of the fan kingdom. These air circulators are good for outdoor spaces that are covered, like a built-out porch or under-deck space. It is important the fan is not exposed directly to the elements or else it could meet a grisly fate.
• Wet Rated: The tanks of our outdoor fan club, wet-rated fans are made to withstand any-and-all outdoor weather. From salt to sleet, this category is an all-purpose fan that will make it through the harshest of conditions.

Keeping these ratings in mind can help you make the right choice when it comes to your outdoor fan.

What Good are They?

It may initially seem as though a fan to be used outside is useless. Think of it in the most basic way possible; the fan is used to circulate the air around you. You may not feel the impact as much in the open, but an outdoor fan will still help keep you cool when the next heat wave suddenly rears its head. They are a good halfway point to please the folks who would rather be inside next to a blowing vent and the folks who want to soak up some rays.

Outdoor ceiling fans are also great decorative option if you need to bring your deck or patio together. With walkout basements, for example, it can be difficult to make the underbelly of a deck look nice. Installing a fan, choosing some quality chairs, and adding some other utility pieces can create a fantastic space without much hassle.

If you are trying to create the perfect outdoor space in preparation for the warm seasons, Charleston Lighting can help. Our lighting experts can help you find the perfect outdoor fan fixture to fit your needs. Call or stop by the largest ceiling fan showroom in the Charleston area today and see why we are the best in the business!