Where Should a Tower Fan Be Placed in a Room?

H eatwaves come and go, but their effects can be overwhelming. Remember those days when the sun was blazing in your windows, turning your home into a huge incubator? Well, they surely aren’t over, so this year you will want to get prepared. The temperatures seem higher and higher every hot season, even in areas that were known to be pleasant in the summer. While some people install window air conditioners for their rooms, and some opt for the more expensive variant, the central cooling system, another large category finds it cheaper and easier to cool their rooms with fans.

Whether they go for a single type or use a combination of units, which includes box fans, misting fans, tower fans, and pedestal fans, the secret is knowing how many of them are required and where they should be positioned.

We will take the tower fan today and explain where it should be placed in a room for maximum efficiency and what you can do to help it become even more efficient. So, stay with us and learn how to improve the thermal comfort in your home.

Why pick a tower fan in the first place?

When deciding on a tower unit, it comes naturally to compare it either to a conventional circular model or an air conditioning unit. Only after assessing the benefits it can bring you in comparison with the other air circulating/cooling methods, you can go to the next step of the selection process and decide what type of tower fan you need.

Tower fan vs. Air Conditioner

The truth is that no fan can give you the cooling power of an AC, but at the same time, no fan will overcharge your electricity bills as an AC does. So, yes, tower units are the cheaper alternative. They don’t use any refrigerant but only circulate the air and mix it with the cool air of the night, making the heat more bearable.

Window ACs could be an alternative, as they are the most inexpensive air cooling systems (still more costly than a fan), but they are known to be loud and to have a small coverage power. Plus, although they are semi-portable, you will need to check every time you move if the new building doesn’t have any regulations against AC units hanging out the window.

You could try a portable AC, although they are even less energy effective than a window unit and can only work in small rooms.

Tower fan vs. Conventional fan

They are both efficient. The only difference is that tower units are more compact and are easier to place in small spaces. Furthermore, tower models come with a wider range of functions and features that are rarely or never found in a conventional model. For example, a tower fan usually includes a timer, a thermostat, or can come with secondary functions. And, besides all that, it is quieter and, thus, more suitable for bedrooms, nurseries, and offices.

Tower Fan Room Placement for Optimal Performance

Now, if you have picked your favorite model, it is time for an essential task: finding the best place for it, so the airflow efficiently covers all the space in the room. This task isn’t always easy to accomplish, and, depending on the dimensions of your room, you may need more than one unit. Nevertheless, with a bit of effort, it is doable. Here is some advice:

Step 1. Decide which spot requires more air circulation

You’ve bought your unit to create a comfortable atmosphere in the whole room, but there’s easy to understand that the closer you position yourself to the unit, the stronger the airflow will be. So, to get the best of it, you will want to place the unit closer to the space where you will be spending most of your time. If it is the living room, it should be set closer to the couch, if it is the bedroom, it should blow the air towards the bed, while for offices, it should be positioned close to the desk area.

Step 2. Make sure power points are available

Sometimes, you will need to limit the positioning of your device next to a wall outlet, if there aren’t many in your room. Using an extension cord to connect the unit to an outlet across the room can be dangerous, especially if the area is highly trafficked. Plus, you are buying a tower model for its compact and stylish design, so you will not want to ruin that with a long, unaesthetic cord that may get tangled and get damaged, becoming an even higher threat.

Step 3. Allow the fan to oscillate

Most models come with an oscillation function, specially included to improve the unit’s room coverage, so you should take maximum advantage of it. Make sure your unit has enough place to turn and won’t hit a wall. Some models can oscillate 90 to 360 degrees, so it is better to position them far from the wall. Thus, when the angle changes, they will send fresh air into the room and not into the wall.

Step 4. Create a clear path

With every object that comes between you and the fan, its efficiency decreases. So, it may be time for some room remodeling, especially if a small number of outlets doesn’t allow you to position the unit as you wish. Move your chairs, plants, lamps, and other decorative objects around to create a channel between the fan and your spot.

Step 5. Place the unit on the floor

Cool air is heavier than hot air and it tends to linger at the bottom of the room, while hot air rises and invades our lungs like fire. By positioning the fan at a lower level, you will allow it to stir up the cool air and mix it with the hot air from the higher level. Thus, the temperature of the air you breathe will decrease and the comfort in the room will be improved.

Is a Single Fan Enough or Should You Use Two Units?

If the space you are trying to cover is large, one device may not be efficient, even if it is one of the most performant. In this case, you can consider investing in two units and displaying them in opposite corners. Pick units with widespread circulation to ensure that they can send their airflow all over the room.

Another method is to face one unit to the window and the other one to the door and let them transfer the hot air outdoors. Nevertheless, note that this technique works only if the temperature outdoors is lower than the one indoors.

For best results, you can position the units according to the first strategy during the day and rearrange them once the night has settled in. Thus, at night, you can replace the hot air in the house with fresh air and get prepared for another torrid day.

How to Maximize Your Fan’s Efficiency

Even if you have found the best place for your device, some factors can influence its air circulating capacity. So, to get the best of your unit, make sure the following issues are covered:

• Windows - It is best to keep them open at night and closed during the day unless the temperature outdoors drops and becomes lower than the one indoors. In this case, you can run your unit with the windows open in the middle of the day and invite cool air in.
• Maintenance - Dust your unit and make sure to replace or clean the filter according to instructions if it includes this specific part. At the same time, if it functions as a humidifier as well, make sure to refill the water recipient and clean it regularly. Thus, you help the motor stay in good shape by keeping the dust away and preventing the growth of mold or bacteria infestations.
• Ice - A bowl of ice or an empty bottle that has been frozen and placed in front of the device will contribute to the cooling of the air.
• Blind the room - If the sun rays enter your room most of the day, you can block them by installing blinds or curtains at the windows. Thus, if the objects inside aren’t directly exposed to the sun, they will remain cooler and the overall temperature will be easier to control.

The Bottom Line

Some clever moves may be more efficient than a very expensive unit. You should indeed pick a device with high airflow, otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain, but if you follow our advice, you can cross the summer with minimal expenses and great comfort. Take all the time you need to find the perfect spot for your device. Test it and understand how all its functions work. Activate oscillation and see if it covers the entire space. Buy a second unit if necessary. We guarantee that all this effort will be repaid through cool afternoons and restful nights.