Wet Rated Outdoor Ceiling Fans
Black Whale Home is proud to offer the best brands in wet rated ceiling fans in many styles that'll be sure to suit your unique design inspiration. See our most popular fan and lighting products in a variety of styles at our Encinitas, CA showroom, or shop our extensive selection of outdoor ceiling fans and light fixtures online.
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What is a wet rated outdoor ceiling fan?
Wet rated outdoor ceiling fans are a type of ceiling fan that has been designed to withstand direct exposure to the elements. Wet rated ceiling fans are perfect for increased cool air circulation on your patio, porch, deck or other outdoor areas, while being weather-safe, even in the rain and wind.
Are damp rated ceiling fans the same as wet rated ceiling fans?
No, damp rated ceiling fans are designed for use in areas where they may be exposed to moisture or steam like fully covered outdoor patios or bathrooms. However they should never be used where they could be directly rained on. When putting a fan on an open veranda or exposed patio, you should always revert to a wet rated ceiling fan. Damp and wet fans can always be used indoors too. Many people living near damp climates or homes designed for open indoor/outdoor living will choose a damp or wet rated fan for these applications.
Wet Rated Outdoor Ceiling Fans with Lights
Yes, you can buy a wet rated ceiling fan with a light kit. Light up your patio while you cool down on a hot summer night with one of our wet rated outdoor ceiling fans with lights. Choose from a variety of popular styles, from traditional to contemporary, that'll complement your house and enhance your outdoor space at night with energy efficient lighting. Most light kits are now made with LED lighting meaning there are no bulbs to change, and some allow you to adjust the color temperature to suit your liking. This means you can make the color of the light feel warm or cool at the touch of a switch. Most all light kits today are dimmable from the remote or wall switch that comes with the fan.
A light kit will allow you to get the most out of your ceiling fan investment, as you'll use the lights year-round, even when no airflow is necessary. There are many styles that come with an integrated light kit that may or may not have an option to cover the light with a decorative plate. There are other models that don’t come with the light at all, but may offer the option to add a light as an accessory.
How to Choose the Correct Outdoor Fan for Your House
When choosing from the many outdoor ceiling fans available, it's easy to get overwhelmed, and we're more than happy to help if you get stuck. You can chat with any of our lighting specialists by calling our showroom or reaching out via email. To get you started, here are some of the important details and features to confider that'll help you narrow your search quickly and find the right ceiling fan for your outdoor space:
Ceiling fan height
Choosing the ceiling fan that will fit your outdoor room is important. The blades will need to be at least seven feet off the floor, so the height of the space will be the first determining factor in browsing fan options that fit your space.
If you have a limited amount of room, shop for a low profile flush mount ceiling fan (which mounts flush to a ceiling). If you have room to spare, then a low profile fan isn't what you need at all. Instead, look for full height ceiling fans with extendable downrods to adjust the ceiling fan to an optimal distance from the ceiling. If the fan is too high, you may not feel enough of a cool breeze when it is on. Optimum airflow is about 8 feet off the floor. Placing a ceiling fan too high may draw down air trapped in the ceiling, but you will not feel the air movement below.
The width of your ceiling fan blades
The size of the outdoor room you're cooling will determine the blade width of your fan. If you have a small patio, choose smaller blades that'll move enough air to cool the space without looking ridiculously large. If you have a large sized porch or patio, go for a fan with 72-inch blades or more to move more air.
Finding a ceiling fan that'll suit your style
Whether your style is modern contemporary or Victorian traditional, beach house or farmhouse, you'll find many options of ceiling fans. Knowing the style of ceiling fan you need will eliminate a lot of options that don't suit your house.
Ceiling fan finishes
Of course the finish on the fan is just as important as the style. A good quality outdoor ceiling fan will have an electrostatic powder coat finish that's weather resistant and won't fade in the sun.
Popular ceiling fan finishes for outdoor fans include:
- matte black
- dark bronze
- pewter, also known as nickel, brushed nickel, polished nickel or silver
- matte white
Note: plated finishes do not generally wear well outdoors so if you are looking for brushed nickel, you will likely see it in a painted finish version. Painted finishes will appear more matte. White fans seem to disappear until they get dirty. Lighter finishes require more cleaning and maintenance. Matte black is the on trend color now as it matches many hardware and window packages these days.
Ceiling fan energy efficiency
Most modern ceiling fans are energy efficient, but some are more than others. If you are adding a light kit to your fan, you can improve the energy efficiency with LED lights rather than traditional light bulbs. Enclosed LED lighting will also stay cleaner and keep insects out.
Many newer fans are made with DC motors. DC current is more energy efficient than older AC models. DC motors have not only advanced the efficiency of the fan, but allowed designs to become smaller and cleaner than fans of the past. The motor can be very small which allowed many design changes in the way fans look and how heavy they used to feel.
Having the right fan size for your deck or patio will also improve energy efficiency. When shopping for options, we highly recommend a chat with one of our experts to be sure your ceiling fan will cool air as expected.
Ceiling fan power
Power is what separates the quality ceiling fans from all the others. Quality ceiling fans are designed to push a lot of air. They do that with a powerful motor and ceiling fan blades are at a steeper blade pitch for increased airflow. A steep blade pitch will create more breeze at a lower speed, but needs more power from the motor. Fan blades can be set at more of an angle on a quality ceiling fan because its motors can handle the extra power needed. Steeper blade pitches has led to the ability to get the same performance from less blades. It is much more likely you will find most ceiling fans with three blades today than the traditional five blades of the past.
Most often when you shop for ceiling fans and you come across varying prices for similar sized fans, the price gap represents the motor and its ability to push air. As with all things, you get what you pay for, and low cost ceiling fans from big box stores are generally more decorative than functional.
Especially when you need to cool an open air area with a ceiling fan, make sure you're choosing a fan with enough power to move enough air outdoors. Since there are no walls to contain air movement, the air pushed by a ceiling fan with less power and blades that are on a gentle slope may be nonexistent before it reaches you.
Pull chains, wall control or remote control ceiling fans
Most outdoor ceiling fans used to come with a wall control or pull chain as the price in the box could remain low. The remote control would be added at the end of the sale which raised the price of the fan significantly. No longer the bargain to get the control most people actually wanted. Many lines to today like Minka Aire and Monte Carlo offer remotes in the price of the box which include a bracket for mounting to the wall if you are worried about losing it. Most decorative residential fans today are sold with remote controls, and the wall control is optional.
Many fan manufacturers such as Fanimation or Modern Forms now offer ceiling fans with optional additional technology to function via blue tooth with Alexa and Google Home, or factory apps to control your fan from your mobile device.
Lighting the outdoors
No matter what size outdoor living area you have, adding a beautiful lighting fixture to your fan can make it feel all the more special for friends and family who visit. We recommend a fixture with dimmable LED lighting to give you control of the amount of light, so whether you're having a quiet moment with a glass of fine wine, or you're playing a board game with friends, you have the right amount of light to set the mood.
An important but often overlooked benefit of installing ceiling fans with a light kit is that the light it produces is below the fan blades. If other lighting (such as recessed lighting) is installed above the fan, your moving fan can cause strobing or cast annoying shadows from the lights up above. A light kit that is built into a fan features unobstructed lighting, so you feel the air from your fans without flickering shadows created from nearby light bulbs.
You get what you pay for
We know price can be a major factor in determining which ceiling fans to buy. When shopping for outdoor ceiling fans, it's important to remember that you get what you pay for. Quality outdoor ceiling fans have a more powerful motor and are made of treated materials that will last longer in the elements. These features will be reflected in the price of the fixture.
Wet Rated Outdoor Ceiling Fan Installation
Given that your electricity and water can make a dangerous combination, it's important to have a qualified professional install your outdoor fixture. Not only will they ensure that it is installed safely and according to code, but they'll also be able to help you choose the best spot for optimal air movement.
Popular Products from the Best Brands
Our outdoor ceiling fans feature some of the best brands on the market today. Some of those brands include:
- Fanimation
- Hinkley
- Matthews Fan Company
- Minka Aire
- Monte Carlo Fan Company
- Quorum
- Oxygen
- Savoy House
These brands are highly competitive in the fan market today offering some of the best technology, efficiency and design on the market today. Quality fans today are almost always quiet and offer a limited lifetime warranty on the motor itself.
