Scott sat his MASTER ELECTRICIAN examinations last month and passed them with an outstanding 84% . We are very proud of Scott who started his apprenticeship with The Shock Doctors in 2005.
Greetings!
The recent hot weather and power outages inspired many topics, but because there is only one newsletter per month we will wait to write how Hydro One handles province-wide multiple outages and wait to write about the joy of backup power another time.
The hot, hot July weather brought requests for ceiling fans. A ceiling fan can do wonders to improve our comfort, with or without air conditioning.
Here are some essentials to consider before you go out looking...
Terry Carman
Chief of Staff
Fan sizing
Getting the right size of fan is very important:
A small 8'x10' room is best served by a ceiling fan that is 29-36" wide.
Rooms up to 12x12 are better with a 36-42" wide fan,
18'x20 ' rooms can be serviced by a 50-54" fan or two smaller, well-placed fans.
Fan Height
Optimum air circulation is obtained by careful placement; the target is to mount the fan in the center of the room with the blades 8-9 feet from the floor. Mount extensions are available from 6 inches to 10 feet to help you get to that magic spot.
It is also important to maintain safe headroom below the fan (tall, visiting nephews should not fear a fresh brush-cut). Ceiling hugger/flush-mount styles should be chosen for rooms that have lower ceilings as the bottom of the fan should never be less than 7 feet from the floor. (Hugger fans will not move as much air as a regular fan because of less space above the fan.)
What direction should the blades spin?
Blades should turn clockwise in winter and counter-clockwise in summer.
To remind you which direction the blades should turn, remember:
"You COUNT the days until SUMMER returns
so the blades should go
COUNT-erclockwise in the SUMMER."
Hanging a ceiling fan where a light used to be...
If you want to swap an existing light fixture with a ceiling fan/light combination anywhere in your home, remember a CSA approved, Electrical Safety Authority mandated ceiling box and bracing system must be used to safely support the fan's additional weight.
Your existing light will not have this device-nor is it acceptable to attach the fan directly to ceiling lumber (as was acceptable in the past).
Design options...
When choosing the BEST VALUE, choose highest CFM (Cubic Feet of Airflow per Minute), and lowest Watts (or most efficient). Of these factors CFM is most important because it is what creates the wind-chill effect. The more wind-chill effect you have the less you need your AC.
A poor fan will have a CFM of about 1400, and the best would have a CFM of about 9000.
Keep in mind that even the least efficient fan motors only cost about 2 or 3 cents per hour to operate (which is nothing compared to your AC), so CFM is far more important than efficiency if you want to minimize the air conditioner usage.
When choosing your fan, there are a number of design options to look at:
Blades placed on a greater angle will move more air.
Number of blades only make a difference in the "look" of a ceiling fan. Airflow is determined by how strong the motor is and the pitch or angle to the blade.
A larger motor will last longer because it more easily handles the air resistance against the paddles.
Most fans can be adapted to remote controllers to make it easier to adjust the comfort right from the bed or chair.
A last note; it has become popular to hang ceiling fans in verandahs, and gazebos. Indoor and outdoor fixtures are not interchangeable. Make sure your fan and wiring are rated specifically for outdoor use.
ENERGY TIP
In summer mode, ceiling fans cool people, not rooms.
If the room is unoccupied, turn off the ceiling fan to save energy.
Direct line to the Doc
If you have a question about the health of your electrical system or would like to investigate a little "plastic surgery", ask the doctor directly: Click and send your question
Thanks to everyone who took their time to vote on the new van design last month and a special thank you for the comments and suggestions that came along with the votes!
month and a special thank you for the comments and suggestions that came along with the votes!