Don Vandervort, Head Homeboy, has written more than 30 DIY home improvement books, been a segment host on HGTV, served as MSN.com's home improvement expert and written countless magazine articles.
A rule of thumb is to use a 52-inch fan for up to a 400-square-foot room, a 44-inch fan for up to 225 square feet, and a 42-inch fan for up to 144 square feet. For rooms more than 18 feet long, consider using two medium-size fans.
If possible, put the fan in the middle of the room, close to where people gather. Be sure blade tips are at least 24 inches from walls or sloping ceilings. Fans mounted close to a ceiling may produce a “cavitational effect,” which means they move less air. Some surface-mounted, low-profile fans—Hunter’s, for example—are designed to circulate more air than standard models.For ceilings taller than 8 feet, hang the fan from a drop rod. The distance the fan should hang down from the ceiling will depend on the ceiling’s height (but never lower than 7 feet from the floor).
Strong support is required for all ceiling fans. Their heavy weight and centrifugal motion strains hangers (they must not be mounted to conventional ceiling light-fixture boxes). Some types mount directly to a ceiling box that has been screwed to the wooden ceiling framing; others utilize hooks, metal crossbars, or special hangers.
Here are the suggested lengths of drop rods for ceilings ranging from 9 to 13 feet or more:
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