Good fans?

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jjk454ss

Member
Oct 8, 2013
243
Michigan
I'm thinking of getting a couple fans to circulate air into different areas, are the doorway fans any good? The little ones you mount in the upper corner of the doorway? Otherwise what are some good options for something quiet to move some warm air down the hallway?
 
I use a couple of super quiet fans I got from work. On my kitchen and bedroom doorways to help move some air. I noticed a pretty decent difference, about 3-5 degrees once I had those up and running. I also use a box fan pointed towards the stove from outside the living room where the stove is and a ceiling fan in the living room. All told I am pulling about an extra 45ish watts of juice but it really does help the air move around the house.
 
Thanks, I'm wondering what a good fan to purchase is. I want it to be quiet. I hate to rider something and not be happy with, I'm looking for some specific ideas.
 
The key thing to remember is that CFM=noise. If you want something quiet your best bet is probably to stick with a couple of smaller lower CFM fans that are spread out around the house in constricting areas like doorways to help movement. But even with more smaller fans you won't get as much air movement as larger fans. You have to estimate what your noise tolerance is. When I am watching a movie or talking with people on the phone I will turn off my box fan but the smaller fans in the doorways I can always keep on. Generally it is more efficient to move cold air towards the heat rather than try and move the warm air away from it but I like my quiet so I personally don't use the box fans much and only one of those.
 
I use a couple of super quiet fans I got from work. On my kitchen and bedroom doorways to help move some air. I noticed a pretty decent difference, about 3-5 degrees once I had those up and running. I also use a box fan pointed towards the stove from outside the living room where the stove is.

i do the same. but i have a couple of vornado 510s up in the doorways. they are *relatively* quiet on low.
i have the first vornado aimed at the second one further along.
these are not designed to be hung, so i had to rig a way with a cup hook and then an s hook that hooks into the top of the grill on the vornado.
for us this works. and the higher cfm is worth it over something that is specifically made to mount in a doorway. but it's probably not for everyone.
the 510s are no longer made and from what i read the model that replaced them may have more of a buzz.

a smaller fan can be used in place of the box fan. i just happen to have extra box fans and we don't mind it being half in the doorway.
i imagine if you have kids or are just more particular about looks, a smaller fan pointing in could be nice.

the fan blowing in at floor level pushes the heat from the stove room back out under the doorway.
this allows whatever fan you are using up high to catch the warm air and help it along.
the fan blowing in is key.

if you do use a vornado, don't try and hang it upside down by the base. the oil will leak out of the motor.
fortunately they have an excellent service/warranty policy ;lol
(broken image removed)
 
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I recently switched from one of those small black "stove" fans, to a cheap Walmart "Hawaiian Breeze" brand ocillating (set to not oscillate) desk fan. I think it's a 10 or 12" model. It is very well balanced and BARELY louder than the little one it replaced. On low, it seems to move at least 3 times the air. It's not the prettiest setup but it is far less obtrusive than a box fan and MUCH quieter than a Honeywell "turbo" fan. My down/upstairs temps have evened out dramatically.
 
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Thanks, I do have a fan similar to the Vornado, and I'm thinking the Honeywell turbo. It's considered an Air Circulator I think, but it's kind of loud. I have a short hallway, 8 ft or so, with a bathroom at the end, and I'm wanting a little warm air down that way.n even with my furnace in the past I've had pipes freeze under the bathroom. Otherwise I'll need to maybe keep a small electric heater on in that room. Or I'm wondering if the heat tape around the pipes underneath the floor would be a good investment.
 
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