What Size Ceiling Fan For A 20X20 Room? [Options Explored]

Proper air circulation is essential to save on energy costs and keep your home dry and healthy. Ceiling fans are a popular way to aid in achieving this, but you may be at a loss as to what size of a ceiling fan to purchase for a huge room, say 20x20 feet.

No worries, though. We've researched to give you some guidance.

For a 20x20 foot room, which is 400 square feet of space, you will need a ceiling fan with 52 inches or longer blades. If possible, it is also recommended that you install more than one ceiling fan in the space.

Now, you know which size is recommended for your space, but you may have other questions, such as whether this ceiling fan will help you cut energy costs or whether it's essential. Keep reading to learn more.

Wide angle view of living room with modern sofa, armchairs, coffee table, rug, bookshelves, and ceiling fan, What Size Ceiling Fan For A 20X20 Room? [Options Explored]

Finding The Right Ceiling Fan For Your Home

There are so many decisions to be made when building or remodeling a home. Of course, HVAC decisions are high on the list. What you may not have realized, though, is how vital ceiling fans can be to your heating and cooling system.

Large Interior Fan on a Blue Coffered Ceiling

The Importance Of Ceiling Fan Size

Ceiling fans are designed with large blades turned by an internal motor. When the air conditioning is being used, you should set these blades to be turning in a counterclockwise motion. This will enable the blades to pull cool air downward.

This creates a draft which helps to keep the room cool.

When the furnace is being used, you should set the blades to turn clockwise. When the blades rotate in this direction, they will push air upward. Since the hot air rises, the ceiling fan will continuously work to move this warm air throughout the space.

The size of the ceiling fan size is important because it isn't just a light fixture. It's also a heating and cooling tool. For smaller rooms, you will need a smaller fan size.

For larger rooms, you will need a significantly larger fan size.

Circulating Air In A 20x20 Foot Room

A large 20x20 foot room takes more power to efficiently cool or heats the space. This includes a larger fan. A smaller fan will be inadequate to indeed circulate the air.

A 20x20 foot room is 400 square feet. Most rooms are between 50 to 350 square feet in the average home. So it's natural to wonder what fixtures are needed in a room of this size.

For rooms that are 350 square feet or larger, you will need a ceiling fan with blades 52 inches or longer. This is necessary to ensure that the air in the room will be adequately circulated.

We recommend going a bit larger than 52 inches, or you may also consider installing more than one fan if electrical wiring will allow you to do so safely.

View this 72-inch fan on Amazon here.

Measurements For Ceiling Fans

As you may have guessed, ceiling fans are not measured based on their diameter. Instead, they are measured and categorized based on their blade length. This is done by measuring from the inside of the blade, which connects to the motor, to the outside tip of the blade.

You may also need to know how to measure the square footage of your space to determine what size ceiling fan is best for you. To do so, use a tape measure to gather the approximate length and width of the room in feet.

Then, you can take the length and width in feet and multiply them. For example, you may measure a room 8 feet wide by 9 feet long. You will take the width (8 feet) and multiply it by the length (10 feet) to find that the room is 80 square feet.

Do You Need A Ceiling Fan?

No, ceiling fans are not necessary. However, they can be beneficial. They can make a space more aesthetically pleasing, but they can also make it more comfortable and make the HVAC system more cost-efficient.

Do Ceiling Fans Save Money Or Waste Energy?

The motor of a ceiling fan must use electricity to run, so it can seem like a toss-up as to whether a ceiling fan helps save money or loses money in the long run. Fortunately, it's been determined that ceiling fans help homeowners and renters save money on heating and cooling costs.

However, this is only if the ceiling fans are installed and used correctly. Ceiling fans should be the appropriate size for the room that they are in. They also should be at least 8 feet above the ground. This means that the ceiling fan should not have a down-rod in rooms where the ceilings are only 8 feet tall.

Also, you should opt to use your ceiling fans more and your air conditioning unit or furnace less. You should set your thermostat up to 4 degrees higher than you typically would in the summer or 4 degrees lower than you usually would in the winter.

Depend on the ceiling fan to make the room you're in feel cooler or warmer.

Ceiling fans use less energy when operating than furnaces or air conditioners do. In the long run, these fixtures will cut costs.

Related Questions

Now we've answered your initial inquiry and discussed the uses of a ceiling fan in more detail. Now you may have some related questions, especially if you're renovating or adding finishing touches to other areas of your home.

We'll answer some of the most common questions here.

What Size Ceiling Fan For A Bedroom?

Modern bedroom interior

A ceiling fan is often a desired fixture for a bedroom. Many tend to enjoy a cool room when sleeping, and this fixture helps create a cool, relaxing atmosphere. But what size ceiling fan do you need for a bedroom?

Like the main suite, most bedrooms tend to be anywhere between 100 square feet, such as a child's bedroom, to 225 square feet.

If your bedroom is on the smaller side, you may choose a fan that has blades about 44 inches in length. If your bedroom is on the larger side, you should select a fan that has blades about 52 inches in length.

View this 44-inch ceiling fan on Amazon.

What Size Ceiling Fan For A Kitchen?

Tropical Kitchen Interior

Another home area where ceiling fans are beneficial is in the kitchen. When cooking on the stovetop or baking, the room can tend to become very warm and stuffy. The area can also hold onto humid air and food smells.

A ceiling fan can help combat each of these issues.

Of course, determining the size of the ceiling fan needed for this room depends on the size of your kitchen. In homes on the smaller side, less than 1500 square feet, kitchens tend to be around 100 square feet. In this case, you would need a ceiling fan with blades about 44 inches in length.

Typically, in average homes, such as 1500-3000 square feet, the kitchens tend to be larger if the homes are multistory. Usually, they are between 150 to 200 square feet.

Here, you should choose a ceiling fan with blades anywhere between 44 inches to 52 inches in length.

However, in a home that is above average, such as 3000 square feet or larger, the kitchen can be up to 250 square feet. In this case, you may need a larger fan to circulate the air properly.

It would be best to choose a ceiling fan with blades that are 52 inches in length or longer.

See this modern 52-inch fan on Amazon.

In Conclusion

Wide angle view of living room with modern sofa, armchairs, coffee table, rug, bookshelves, and ceiling fan

Ceiling fans are great fixtures to have in your home. They add to the pleasing aesthetics of your home while also helping to keep the house comfortable. But, you have to know what size ceiling fan will work for your space.

For a 20x20 foot room, you will need a ceiling fan with blades that are 52 inches or longer. It is also best to install more than one ceiling fan in a room of this size if possible.

We hope that this has given you the guidance that you were searching for when purchasing this fixture for your home.

Made it to the end? Check out these related posts!

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