Porch Fans: A Southern Tradition Makes Good Sense

If you spend any time in certain parts of the country, you are bound to see porch fans of many kinds and sizes. And, if you are not from those areas, you might wonder why they would install these things outside. Spend a little time there during the summer months, and you will quickly see why porch fans are a great idea not only to keep the porch cooler and more comfortable, but to cool the inside of the house more efficiently as well.

There are parts of the country where sweltering heat in the summer months is the norm rather than the exception. Anything that they can do to help cool them off is a big idea. They make gallons of ice tea and lemonade. They fan themselves. In the old days, they sat out there on their porch, trying to catch any random breeze that might wander their way. But, with a fan out there, they are not only creating breezes, they are cooling the front of their home off in the process. That can save them money in the long run.

Every time that you open your front door, you let the cooled, air conditioned air out of your house, but you also let the heated, outside air in at the same time. If you have children, then the opened door process is repeated over and over and over. Even if you rarely open that door, you are still going to want to do everything that you can to make it cooler on your porch.

The front porch, especially in the South, can be a gathering place for friends and family. It is a place to entertain people for large or small parties. But, it can also be a great place to sit alone, reading a book or just sitting on a porch swing. The fan will keep the area that much cooler.

There are two kinds of fans to consider: electric fans and those that are wind generated. Either kind will help to move the air on the porch, but the electric fans will go one step further on the days where there is no air to circulate. They can help to create a breeze even on the days where the air is hanging hot and sticky, humid but dead still.

Because they mount in the ceiling of the porch, the fans do not change the look of the house or the porch itself. You can choose a white fan, a wooden one or even a brightly colored one if you want, but the looks never really matter as much.

Porch fans are meant to keep the front of the home cooler and more comfortable, an inviting place to have a glass of iced tea and to watch the world go by.