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Most people think about family, food and festivities during the holidays. What most people don’t think about during the holiday season is their ceiling fan. Ceiling fans are often associated with cooling down during the summer time, but should also be used during winter months to reduce energy consumption and save money on energy bills.

As most of us remember from high school science class, warm air rises because it is less dense than cold air. When you crank up your thermostat during winter months, the warm air rises to the ceiling and will stay there unless it is re-circulated back into the room. This is why you should be thinking family, food, festivities and FANS during the holidays. Proper use of your ceiling fan during winter months will allow you to lower your thermostat and remain warm and toasty because the fan is re-circulating the warm air from your ceiling back down into the room. By relying more on your ceiling fan and less on your thermostat, you can save an average of 5% per month on your winter heating bills!

If you want to save even more money on your energy bill, consider investing in a DC motor fan. DC motor fans use up to 70% less energy than traditional AC motor fans because they are powered by magnets positioned around the perimeter of the rotor that create a magnetic field. This magnetic field requires much less electrical energy to create the torque required to rotate the motor’s rotor. In fact, the DC motor actually creates more torque than a traditional AC motor while consuming less energy!

Check out these FANtastic Fanimation fans currently using the DC motor technology: The Islander; The Louvre; The Keistone; The Sandella, and; The Landan

Last week, I had the opportunity to represent Fanimation at the 2011 Greenbuild Expo in Toronto, Canada. Fanimation made the decision to participate in this expo after attending last year’s Greenbuild in Chicago, Illinois. With so many exhibitors showcasing the newest technology in energy efficient building products and design, we were surprised to find that very little attention was paid to the energy and cost saving benefits of using ceiling fans in both residential and commercial applications. Armed with cold, hard data illustrating just how much a ceiling fan can impact energy consumption and cost, I prepared to go to battle with the army of architects, engineers and designers that may overlook this important feature when designing and building the spaces we inhabit.

Over the course of the week that I spent in Toronto, I was fortunate to meet with a multitude of people who were receptive to my ceiling fan statistics and inherently understood that using ceiling fans to circulate air benefits not only the environment, but people. Although a ceiling fan does not actually reduce the temperature in a room, it allows you to raise your thermostat up to two (2) degrees in the summer and still remain cool as a result of the fan’s breeze. In the winter, by reversing the blades of the fan, you can actually lower your thermostat up to two (2) degrees and remain comfortable because the fan is re-circulating hot air back down into the room. Studies have shown that moderate temperatures with more air circulation actually create healthier and more productive living and working environments.

In addition to improving indoor air quality and comfort, ceiling fans also have a significant impact on energy costs. The average ceiling fan costs less than $25.00 per year to operate on high speed, ten (10) hours per day, 365 days per year. In comparison, the average cost to operate central air is $4.30 per day and $1,569.50 per year. If more buildings and homes were designed to rely on ceiling fans to circulate the air and less on central heating and cooling, this would result in substantial cost savings and greatly reduce our carbon footprint.

Overall, I feel that our presence at Greenbuild was a success and that we were able to convey the message that using Fanimation fans in any home or commercial building will reduce energy consumption and improve indoor air quality. As the world population continues to grow and energy costs continue to rise, it becomes even more imperative to think about the effect our actions have on the environment and the economy. Using ceiling fans may not stop global warming, but it is an easy and cost effective step to take down the path to leading a more sustainable life.

The marvelous Fanimation summer sale is still tolerating this summer heat, and one of the most beautiful ceiling fans on the market today, Marea, is here to swoop in and help you keep your cool. The perfect complement to any contemporary lighting layout, Marea is available in two sleek finishes, Oil-Rubbed Bronze with an Amber Frosted blade or Satin Nickel with a White Frosted blade. Either finish will knock your socks off. (But not literally. That might mean you have a fan too powerful for your home.) This style has a sleek, minimalist look and Marea would pair quite nicely with any geometric, or even industrial decor.

The simple lines and elegant curves of Marea’s blades make it a favorite modern ceiling fan among contemporary interior decorators. The sophisticated shape of this Fanimation gem lends itself nicely to your home’s subtle furnishings and Marea’s three forward and reverse speeds make soothing, gentle breezes that you can control with the touch of a button. How is that possible? Well, this lovely ceiling fan includes a TR33 hand held remote as well as a control which conveniently mounts over a wall switch plate. And of course, the 42″ blade span will cool down those muggy, humid evenings in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, with Marea waves of relief spreading out over your dining room, bedroom, kitchen, or sun room.

The chic Marea ceiling fan comes with three sets of double downrods which can be adjusted to make your fan an overall height of 12”, 18” or 36”, depending on your decor and cooling preferences. And this smooth, futuristic fan is even UL listed and includes a lifetime warranty, so you can be certain that every summer for the rest of your life you’ll be as unruffled as a crisp, clean fall breeze. Take advantage of this incredible Fanimation sale now–it only lasts for a few more sultry and sweltering days—and the greatest discount can be found here at AffordableLamps.com.

Written by Heather John, Marketing, Affordable Lamps

Summer is officially here and the heat index across the country is starting to soar. From the plains of Tulsa, Oklahoma to the beaches of Jersey Shore temperatures have already reached triple digits and summer has just begun! So, as you sit on your back porch sipping iced tea and contemplating the sweat dripping down your back, you may find yourself wondering how to stay cool as your thermostat continues to rise. Fortunately for you, Fanimation has an entire product line of energy efficient, style savvy and affordable ceiling fans that will help you achieve your summer goal to stop sweating and start saving.

In order to help you find the perfect Fanimation fan for your home, we have compiled the following ceiling fan tips to keep in mind while you shop:

• For maximum air flow your ceiling fan blades should be suspended between 7 feet 6 inches and 9 feet above the floor and at least 8 and ½ inches from the ceiling
• The size of the room will determine the appropriate blade sweep and number of fans that should be hung. Typically, a 52” blade sweep is appropriate for an average sized kitchen or bedroom. Smaller rooms should use a 42” fan and great rooms (300 to 400 square feet) can accommodate a 60-72” fan or multiple smaller diameter fans
• Ceiling fan airflow efficiency is measured in Cubic Feet Per Minute Per Watt (“CFM/W”), the higher the CFM/W the more efficient the fan. A high efficiency ceiling fan should rate from 50-120 CFM/W
• The electricity use of ceiling fans is measured in Watts. For reduced energy consumption, look for a ceiling fan that uses the least Watts to operate
• DC motor fans generate more power/torque than traditional AC motor fans while consuming 70% less electricity
• Damp location rated ceiling fans can be installed indoors or outdoors in covered patios or verandahs and wet location rated ceiling fans can be installed indoors or outdoors in exposed areas such as a gazebo or open porches

I was the first employee of the Casablanca Fan Company which had its beginnings in 1973, in fact my first day there was 38 years ago today. I went independent with my portion of the company in January of 1984. However, my dream to do that had begun 3 years earlier (I had many obstacles to overcome).

One of the first things I did was come up with a company name. I had done some projects for Disneyland, in particular their design department which is called Disney Imagineering the combination of imagine and engineering. I had always liked the way they had done that so I came up with Fanimation a combination of fan and animation. I printed out the name in a very large font on a card about 2” high and 8″ wide. I kept it in the pencil drawer of desk so every time I opened my desk drawer I was reminded of my goal.

We started out as Fanimation Design and Manufacturing, Inc. That was a lot of name to say and to put on forms and such so several years ago I shortened it to Fanimation, Inc., you can thank me later.

That’s whole truth and nothing but…

Tom Frampton
Founder & CEO

As Fanimation’s Business Development Manager, my job responsibilities include selling ceiling fans. I travel throughout the United States attending trade shows and visiting distributors with our amazing force of sale representatives. The part about my job that I really love is the fact that I don’t actually have to “sell” Fanimation. From our high quality and innovative products to our outstanding customer service and technical support staff, we truly are what our motto says, “One Complete Revolution in Ceiling Fans.”

I was inspired to write this blog after attending the last trade show in Las Vegas where I had the opportunity to meet Fanimation customers from around the world. Not once during these interactions was I forced to respond to complaints or explain why a product shipped late or arrived at the final destination damaged. Instead, I enjoyed listening to positive feedback about our company, our product and our unfaltering dedication to making customers happy.

Some of you may be thinking, “That’s all very nice, but who is actually going to tell you that your product stinks or your customer service is terrible?” To that, I respond, “there are many, many people (arguable most) that given the opportunity to air their grievances will do exactly that, without inhibition.” So, from this I must conclude that what makes my job easy is that our customers are genuinely Fanimation Fans.

If you are still skeptical, I invite you to take a moment and read through some of our customer testimonials,

“The Zonix from Fanimation has great styling, is easy to install and is quiet and effective. I bought a few of them but had problems with one of the units where I couldn’t get the blades to balance. The other fans were already perfectly balanced. I called Fanimation and got straight through to someone. They put me through to Tech Support who sent me a new set of blades immediately. The customer service was outstanding; I’ll definitely buy from them again.”

“Very beautiful fan, with many choices for the blade options. Ideal for coastal areas that have alot of salt in the air (won’t rust!) Can be used in Full Wet applications! Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.”

“What a great, cool look. I love it. Oh, it’s functional, too. It’s more apt to stay put due to it’s rubber feet, compared to ones with just plastic bottoms. I like the lifetime motor warranty. It indicates quality and I don’t expect to ever have to use it.”

“This fan looks and performs awesome! Delivery time was super fast and installation was easy and they’re super quiet!”

“Fan looks and works great. Easy installation too.”

Since 1984 Fanimation has been known for producing innovative, unique ceiling fans and is an acknowledged leader in the industry. The new 2011 Fanimation ceiling fans will continue to impress consumers with their one-of-a-kind designs and energy efficient DC motors.

DC motors consume less than 70% of the power a standard motor uses while generating more power and torque by using a stationary magnetic field. Most standard ceiling fans require constant power to keep the fan spinning, a DC motor only needs to get the fan up to speed then a built in magnetic drive keeps the fan circulating using little energy. Ceiling fans with a DC motor also have six speeds instead of the normal three speeds and are virtually silent.

The Fanimation Landan ceiling fan is one of the most energy efficient fans on the market today using only 54 watts of electricity to operate the light and fan on high. Not only does it feature the DC motor but also utilizes energy saving, long lasting LED lighting.  This Energy Star ceiling fan includes general LED downlight illumination as well as LED uplighting that will create a warm ambiance to any room. The Landan ceiling fan has a decorative fluted motor housing with reversible blades and is available in a bronze accent or satin nickel finish.

The Fanimation Keistone ceiling fan features a transitional design with a decorative halogen light fixture that is offered in an amber or white linen glass. The Keistone fan is available in a bronze accent or pewter finish with reversible blades and a 60” or 72” blade span.

Fanimation just recently redesigned some of their more popular models in 2011 to include the powerful and energy saving DC motor. The tropical Islander, Sandella, and contemporary Lourve ceiling fan models were redesigned in 2011 to include the DC motor. These ceiling fans are available in a wide range of finishes, blade sets, and lighting options to match any décor.

So, if you’re looking for a stylish yet energy efficient ceiling fan that will be the center of attention in a room, then look no further than a Fanimation DC motor ceiling fan. You are certain to find just the right Fanimation ceiling fan for any residential or commercial space from their large selection of unique and energy saving ceiling fans.

Written by Melissa O’Connor, Internet Marketing Manager, Del Mar Designs

At Fanimation, we always try to be as environmentally conscious as possible.  As part of our continued efforts to green our corporate headquarters, we recently completely revamped our warehouse lighting system by replacing all 1000-watt metal halide lights with T5 fluorescent lights. 

T5 fluorescent lights are more environmentally friendly than metal halide lights because they use significantly less energy to operate.  A comparison done by the Performance Consulting Group, LLC showed that a single-lamp metal halide fixture drew 455 watts to operate while a four-lamp T5 fixture drew only 235 watts to operate.  (Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent Fixture Comparison; http://www.rapidpower.net/userfiles/file/T5vsMH.pdf.)

The T5 fluorescent lights come with numerous energy and cost saving benefits, such as instant start, low profile, extended light output, better quality and more evenly distributed lighting and cost savings.  We estimate that our  decision to install T5 lighting will result in a 55-60% energy reduction in our warehouse over the course of the next year. 

            Although our team at Fanimation has always been on the cutting edge of environmentally safe technology, as evidenced by our numerous Energy Star rated fans, we are also committed to making our corporate headquarters as environmentally friendly as possible.  The use of energy saving lights in our warehouse is just one more example of our tireless efforts to reduce our carbon footprint.

Many of you know Fanimation as a team of industry veterans, committed to unique and high quality ceiling fan design. If Fanimation is new to you, please treat yourself to our website (www.fanimation.com) and get a feeling for our products, customers and fresh way of thinking. Saving energy and money has never been more important. Our products not only pay for themselves over time,  but they allow you to achieve your energy-saving goals while adding style and value to your home.

As Fanimation explores the needs of this new economy, we are learning that you desire broader communication and interaction with us in a variety of new ways; Facebook and Twitter are only the beginning.  One of the best methods of delivering a variety of messages in a quick manner is a blog.

In this blog Fanimation will bring you tips on saving energy, information on  new and existing products, installation advice, fun stories from our various travels across the globe, and various items we learn as we grow in a rapidly evolving and changing business climate. You will get a chance to meet the wonderful team behind Fanimation, get a glimpse into who they are, what they do and  how much fun we have working at a company that  went from the garage of my father’s house to a company with an international presence. I am sure this blog will take us to uncharted waters and exciting places. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

Please send any comments, suggestions or ideas to me at nathan@fanimation.com.