What’s better than sitting on your porch swing and enjoying a warm autumn evening with a cold glass of iced tea? How about swinging on your porch and sipping cold iced tea under the cool breeze of an outdoor ceiling fan? But before you enjoy the breeze, make sure that you wouldn’t put your indoor ceiling fans outside to face the elements. While an indoor ceiling fan is perfect for cooling your home inside, the motor and blades are not made for your outside living areas. Instead, you need to consider buying an outdoor ceiling fan.
As it turns out, some fans are designed to be installed and operated only in indoor settings (dry-rated), while some can be in both indoor and outdoor (undercover) areas (wet-rated and damp-rated). Dry-rated Dry-rated ceiling fans are great for indoor uses, including living rooms and bedrooms. As long as these fans aren’t used in damp rooms, like bathrooms or laundry rooms, they’ll have long and healthy service lives. However, it’s never a good idea to place these fans outdoors. The exposure to the elements will ruin a dry-rated ceiling fan quickly. If you can keep these fans away from all forms of moisture, they will provide long-lasting cooling for your home or office. Suggested locations for dry-rated fixtures include: • Bedrooms • Kitchens • Dining Rooms • Foyers Wet-rated Wet-rated outdoor ceiling fans are specifically designed to withstand rain, wind, and snow. If your outdoor ceiling fan is going to be exposed to any moisture or wet elements, a wet-rated fan is required. This also includes partially covered areas where the fan may be unprotected from the weather. Wet-rated fans are sealed and their wiring is specifically designed to not short. Most outdoor ceiling fan blades are designed using ABS plastic so they do not get damaged or warped when exposed to the weather. Wet-rated fans can even be washed off with a garden hose. Suggested locations for wet-rated ceiling fans include: • Exposed Decks • Verandas or Lanais outside a seaside home • Gazebos • Cabanas Damp-rated These outdoor ceiling fans are approved for humidity and covered exterior spaces, but they cannot have direct contact with snow or rain. Even a fan under a covered porch may be exposed to rain—especially with the wind. Therefore, these must be in enclosed, exterior spaces—such as an enclosed patio or garage. The interior wiring for a damp-rated fan is protected and a non-corrosive cover is used over the motor. Damp-rated fans can also be used effectively in highly humid indoor spaces such as laundry rooms and bathrooms with showers. Suggested locations for damp-rated ceiling fans include: • Bathrooms • Garages • Covered Patios • Screened Porches
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As it turns out, some fans are designed to be installed and operated only in indoor settings (dry-rated), while some can be in both indoor and outdoor (undercover) areas (wet-rated and damp-rated). Dry-rated Dry-rated ceiling fans are great for indoor uses, including living rooms and bedrooms. As long as these fans aren’t used in damp rooms, like bathrooms or laundry rooms, they’ll have long and healthy service lives. However, it’s never a good idea to place these fans outdoors. The exposure to the elements will ruin a dry-rated ceiling fan quickly. If you can keep these fans away from all forms of moisture, they will provide long-lasting cooling for your home or office. Suggested locations for dry-rated fixtures include: • Bedrooms • Kitchens • Dining Rooms • Foyers Wet-rated Wet-rated outdoor ceiling fans are specifically designed to withstand rain, wind, and snow. If your outdoor ceiling fan is going to be exposed to any moisture or wet elements, a wet-rated fan is required. This also includes partially covered areas where the fan may be unprotected from the weather. Wet-rated fans are sealed and their wiring is specifically designed to not short. Most outdoor ceiling fan blades are designed using ABS plastic so they do not get damaged or warped when exposed to the weather. Wet-rated fans can even be washed off with a garden hose. Suggested locations for wet-rated ceiling fans include: • Exposed Decks • Verandas or Lanais outside a seaside home • Gazebos • Cabanas Damp-rated These outdoor ceiling fans are approved for humidity and covered exterior spaces, but they cannot have direct contact with snow or rain. Even a fan under a covered porch may be exposed to rain—especially with the wind. Therefore, these must be in enclosed, exterior spaces—such as an enclosed patio or garage. The interior wiring for a damp-rated fan is protected and a non-corrosive cover is used over the motor. Damp-rated fans can also be used effectively in highly humid indoor spaces such as laundry rooms and bathrooms with showers. Suggested locations for damp-rated ceiling fans include: • Bathrooms • Garages • Covered Patios • Screened Porches