Nearly all ceiling fans look good in the store. They are running on low speed, so wobble is not apparent. The background noise in the store drowns out any humming. Quality differences will be apparent once you have a fan installed.

Generally, the least-expensive fan is a cheaply made one. Even though a good-quality fan will cost more, the comfort and energy-savings you will achieve will make it a money-saving (and hassle-saving) investment overall.

Running a ceiling fan allows you to raise the air conditioning thermostat by as much as five degrees Fahrenheit and still be comfortable. This can potentially cut your electric bill by 15% or more! In the winter, reverse the fan rotation so that warm air is pushed from the ceiling flows outward and down the walls.

There are many contemporary models from five-blade airfoil designs to fans that can be installed in children's rooms that look like airplanes.

When shopping for a fan, pay attention to these key features:

die-cast motor housing - for reliability and less "rattle"
permanently lubricated sealed bearings - for low maintenance
large speed range from low to higher speeds - a large speed range provides greater comfort and noise control
rubber or cushion mounted flywheel
steep blade pitch - steeper blades move air faster at lower speeds and blade pitch is easily checked on most packages
To ensure proper installation, have a qualified electrician do the job.