Growing up in the south, I’ve always been familiar with the perks of outdoor ceiling fans. We had a couple on our porch no matter where we lived. A fan blows a breeze on hot, still summer days. A fan chases bugs away, and below the Mason Dixon Line there are bugs all year long that need chasing. A fan clears up clouds of humidity so you can actually breathe when you step outside.
Find a ceiling fan that was made to function outdoors, like the Bridgeport fan. When a ceiling fan is exposed to the elements, as it would be on a back porch or in a gazebo, it is necessary it have a finish that will not rust. It also needs blades that will not warp from the moisture.
Casablanca makes these all-weather blades for that reason. The tropical style of these leaf shaped blades is very popular in warm wet climates.
Hunter originals, like this fan with the pin-striped blades, are used outside all over in the South, but to make sure you’re getting a fan capable of withstanding long term exposure to moisture, look for the Underwriters Laboratories certification for damp or wet locations. Damp certified means the fan will be all right outside under moderate weather conditions as long as it protected from direct rainwater and snow. Wet certified fans, like the one featured above, have the most modern ceiling fan technology to withstand extreme weather conditions.
The classic cottage fan also comes in off-white. This color reminds me of the ceiling fans I have seen on riverboat cruises or in white porches of country clubhouses.
If your porch sees a lot of snow in winter, you may want to consider finding a ceiling fan that can survive that kind of stress. The Charthouse fan is from the Outdoor Extreme Elements Collection and has wet certification. Its blades have an anti-rust bronze finish and are made of all-weather bamboo and plastic.
The Sanibel also comes wet certified, and its blades look like the propellers of a Leonardo DaVinci air machine. Its stainless steel construction is something to look for in an outdoor ceiling fan, as that component will help it resist rust.
If rain, snow, and humidity can find ways to get at the fan, make sure its electrical parts are tightly sealed. Mark Twain lived in the South, and lived long enough to enjoy the benefits of outdoor ceiling fans at the turn of the century. The Twain ceiling fan gets its name from this famous American author, and it happens to be an all-weather, damp certified fan. It has an ornate Victorian design to honor Mark Twain who lived from 1835 to 1910.
The Wailea in brushed cocoa is a perfect fit for a plain wooden back porch. It is damp certified. Some days in the south were so hot and steamy I wouldn’t go outside until after letting the fan run for a few minutes. Today I live in the Northeast, but whenever I eat at a restaurant with wood floors, open windows and ceiling fans whirring above, I feel like I’m in New Orleans.
