When researching ways to cool the workplace, consider getting a fan. Fans, also known as air circulators, can be the perfect solution to meet light cooling needs. In more temperate climates, they are an excellent alternative to having an air conditioner that may not see much use. In hotter or more humid climates, fans can help ventilate and dry an area while cooling it, or they can supplement existing air conditioning systems.
Different fans will create more or less air movement based on how powerful they are. The airflow produced by a fan is typically given in cubic feet per minute (CFM). This represents the volume of air flowing by a given point every minute. In other words, CFM is the airspeed generated (in feet per minute) multiplied by the area cooled (in cubic feet).
Your desired CFM rating will depend on how you plan to use the fan. To figure out how many minutes a fan will take to circulate air through your entire room, divide the cubic foot measurement of your room by the CFM rating of the fan. For example:
2,000 cubic feet/2,000 CFM = 1 minute for the fan to cycle through all the room’s air
To calculate the cubic-foot dimensions of your room or space, multiply the ceiling height in feet by the square footage. A room with 8-foot ceilings and a floor area of 250 square feet would equal 2,000 cubic feet.
As a general rule of thumb, you want the fan to take 5 minutes at most to circulate air through a room; 3 minutes or less is better. For a room that measures 2,000 cubic feet like the one described in the previous example, the minimum CFM rating would equal 400 CFM and the ideal fan would have a 670 CFM rating or higher.
The location of your fan will also impact its effectiveness. A fan placed in the middle of a room will take longer to cool the room than a fan placed against the wall or in a corner. A room with more windows or occupants will take longer to cool than a room with fewer windows and occupants. Try to place your fan where you can get the most benefit out of it.
Another consideration that needs to be made is what type of fan you get. You can get anything from a free standing pedestal fan, to an installed ceiling fan. You should consider space / cooling requirements before you decide which type of fan you need.