Industry Insider: Fan C Fans
Homeowners in the market for ceiling fans these days are most interested in finding stylish, durable and quiet fans with great airflow, said Jessica Malik, co-owner with her husband, Craig, of Fan C Fans in Schaumburg, Lake Zurich and Glenview.
Fan C Fans, a third generation family business, has been supplying ceiling fans, and more recently, lighting, to homeowners in the Chicago area for 80 years and during that time, Malik said, styles and preferences have certainly changed.
“Today, people are looking for furniture-quality, carved wood blades in woods like walnut and they prefer up-lights that create a warm glow on the ceiling,” Malik said. “Many are using their fans as accent pieces, like another piece of furniture, and some are even enhancing them with ceiling medallions to make an even more elegant look.”
Craig’s grandfather founded Fan C Fans on Fullerton Avenue in Chicago around 80 years ago. Jessica and Craig Malik completely took over the family business from Craig’s father in 2008.
Ceiling fans have evolved mechanically in recent years. The new DC motors many are equipped with use 70 percent less energy than older models. These motors use internal magnets to create a magnetic field that requires much less electrical energy to create the torque needed to rotate the motor’s rotor, Malik said.
Landan even offers a fan with a DC motor and dimmable LED lights. This fan uses only 25 watts of power.
“Many energy-efficient bulbs are not dimmable, so this is an advantage,” Malik said.
Customers today most often prefer dark colors, like oiled bronze, brushed cocoa and distressed brown, Malik said, but matte white is also popular with those who want their fan to blend into the ceiling.
“Generally speaking, homeowners prefer low profile, sleek fans with integrated lights that are subtly hidden behind a glass dome instead of hanging from the fan,” she said. “These work particularly well with lower ceilings.”
When choosing a ceiling fan, it is important to consider ceiling height and room size in order to determine the appropriate blade size and drop. Fan C Fans carry fans ranging in size from 18 inches in diameter to 72 inches in diameter.
The rule of thumb, Malik advises, is you want a 50- to 52-inch diameter fan for a 12-square-foot room.
Blade pitch, brand name and motor strength are also important considerations, she said. A minimum blade pitch of 14 degrees is important and the best names in the business are Casablanca, Regency and Fanimation, Malik believes. Homeowners must also decide if they want computerized controls on the wall or pull chain controls.
Fan C Fans carries fans selling for as little as $69 up to $1,000. However, customers can find nice, quality fans ranging from $200 to $500, she said.
Choosing among them is where the staff of Fan C Fans comes in. Employees can offer guidance, in-home consultations, installation and repairs.
“We are all about customer service at Fan C Fans,” Malik said.
The Fan C Fans locations are: 1073 N. Salem Drive, Schaumburg, (847) 882-7667; 1498 Waukegan Road, Glenview, (847) 724-5557; and 133 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, (847) 850-8482). For more information, visit www.fancfans.com.