Would this put you off buying a house

[SensationsThaisweetchilli]

We live in a standard 3 bed semi detached 1930s house.

We’re already having a bit of work done to the electrics/ loft this summer.

I think while we’re having it done we should get minimal/ low profile white ceiling fans fitted in the bedrooms, at quite minimal cost. I’m originally from a hot country and all homes have them. I know they’re uncommon in the UK, but we’re in the south and every summer since I’ve lived here (2010) we’ve had to drag our flimsy pedestal fans which don’t provide as strong/ evenly distributed air and break down constantly.

DH thinks they’ll look silly and out of place and will put off potential buyers.

AIBU to want ceiling fans?

You have to put in an extra strong junction box in the ceiling to hold a fan, so definitely do that, then you have the option of a fan light combo or just a light.

Unless you are planning on selling in the next 6 months, put in what you want, you can always switch them when you come to sell.

I don't live in the UK, but would never live in a house without them, I like to be able to circulate the air. Where I live, airconditioning is banned (outside of medical conditions), so ceiling fans are standard. I do however hate the look of ceiling fans, so I have these in every room: www.fanaway.com/. Might be an option if they are available over there.

How high are your ceilings?

I would be very tempted to put them in.

They can be used in both cold and hot weather so they will eventually save you money on central heating.

AC is really expensive and usually loud. I'd definitely put in ceiling fans, especially after reading several threads on here about people suffering in the heat, which is going to become a regular occurrence in years to come. They are as easy to change out as any light fixture, so no worry about it affecting your price. Just don't put in nasty-looking cheap ones! Decent, quiet ones only cost a little more - read the reviews and don't keep anything that's noisy. We live in an area (in US) which is very hot in summer and they are a lifesaver - some of the UK temps posters have been talking about aren't far off ours, either.

my a/c unit is very quiet...Lennox
as for the ceiling fan, the electrician (part of a larger electrical contract) who installed it was meticulous with the little ballast weight to make sure it doesn't wobble or make noise.

We had one in a flat in London which I found a bit unusual and grew to love. We had it on most days April to September and I'm considering installing one in our own house now so any advice on attractive units would be great.

I honestly think once you've lived with one you wouldn't be without it, and weather is only going to get more extreme.

“Tacky” 🙄 people can be so snobby.

If you want them, get them. It’s your house, why would you think about what hypothetical buyers would want or not want?

What MargaretRiver said: You need retractable blade ceiling fans
They look like (and act as) a light when not in use

Gaaah. Bold fail.

I live in Louisiana and everyone has them. They aren't ugly! You can get nice ones, all styles!

Half the threads these past few days have been about how hot people's houses are... and yet people here don't like ceiling fans because they are "dated".

In the rest of the fucking world, they are just practical features that help aid comfort in warmer weather.

OP- get the fans. All the fan snobs- enjoy your sleepless sweaty nights.

We have had them in the last 4 houses. I think the key is to get up to date looks, not the dated combined light/fan thing of the 70's. The most recent one I bought, I ordered it in Aussie as they had a better selection than where I live now. As daughter collected it from oversized parcels coming through baggage, there was another one from the same company waiting for someone else to collect.

So they are popular!

www.fansonline.com.au/ if you want to browse models.

As long as they worked independent of the lights it wouldn't put me off unless it was a fifty fifty between there and somewhere else

Just be aware that you can't have them in the same room as a gas fire as it's a fire hazard. A gas engineer would condemn the gas fire if you did.

I live in Louisiana and everyone has them. They aren't ugly! You can get nice ones, all styles!

But isn't summer in Louisiana a million degrees and 100% humidity? Clearly in that kind of climate they're non-negotiable. In England tho...

All the fan snobs- enjoy your sleepless sweaty nights.

That's literally 5 nights of the year.

Agree with SpaceCadet about the frankly bizarre remarks about ceiling fans being dated. Like climate change is sooooo 80s. Designs yes, function, no.

I'm another in Australia and fortunate to live in a mostly well-designed house for heating/cooling:

• curtains and exterior blinds to keep out the heat in the day; open all windows and doors in the evening
• ceiling fans to cool bodies (they don't cool rooms) and with summer/winter settings to use heating systems more effectively; move to the cooler rooms if you have them
• air-con is the last defence and for me used in bedrooms as my house has a metal roof so gets well hot.

Always start with passive systems, then move to low-cost before hitting the expensive air-con.

This is why sash windows of the Victorian/Edwardian houses were so fab. They really worked

If the OP wants ceiling fans because she likes them, she should definitely get them. If she wants to get them because they're planning to sell up (mention of 'putting off potential buyers'), she really shouldn't bother.

Can't you just open a window?

I cannot imagine why you'd need a ceiling fan in the uk! It's never hot enough.

Are you planning on selling soon? If so perhaps don't, as a lot of people will think they're naff. But if you're not, have what you want in your house! I would definitely get something prettier than the white plastic ones though.

Mixed reaction here. I’m the uk they are often seen as ‘naff’/ugly but I totally understand in other countries they are standard and no one would even notice them.
Getting rid of them and making good any ceiling holes etc would add something to the list of things to do for many potential buyers.

Small job but you never know it could contribute to someone who’s seen other lovely properties to think again about yours. If a buyer was put off solely by this I’d think they might be ‘flaky’ about all sorts of small things and not the most reasonable/committed buyer.

If they are in marketing photos I might think there would be other similar ‘features’ throughout the house that I’d want to do something about. I’d also assume that the seller was older and/or the house more dated than it actually is. It would give me a ‘feeling’ online about the house - which would be unreasonable but there you are.

It depends on how soon you are thinking of selling. If just one or two summers of the benefit I’m not sure I’d do it. BUT it’s your house and your decisions (plus reluctant dh of course).

It would put me off

I'll remember this thread when I come to sell my house. Currently enjoying the cool air from my bedroom ceiling fan! I'll make sure to sell my house in a heatwave so I don't put off potential buyers with my tacky ceiling monstrosity.

I'd love ceiling fans! Especially since you can switch blade direction in the winter to force hot air down!