There are some great deals out there on new ceiling fans, and while they typically look great and all blow air when working correctly (not unlike air conditioning), the cheap and cheerful ceiling fans can often cost more in the long run.
In case you haven’t had the chance to research this yourself, here’s our guide as to why cheaper fans may cost you more money over the life of the investment. And it all comes down to potential problems you’ll face later involving ceiling fan repair or replacement.
For example – the components of cheaper stainless steel ceiling fans often aren’t quality stainless steel and can rust quickly.
Cheap ceiling fans usually use 304 stainless steel or even lower quality variations, similar to materials used in most exhaust systems of reasonable quality.
The difference between cheaper stainless steel and full 316L stainless steel is not just found the superior quality of the latter, but in the warranty.
This inferior warranty situation is the reason why our team and even some other Darwin Electricians are not overly fond of Bunnings or Arlec ceiling fans let alone ebay ceiling fans with lights! And even though Beacon Lighting ceiling fans have come a long way, they are still not preferred by many electricians for these reasons.
The warranty differences between fans
The warranty issue is really important and should be seen as quite separate from buying price or the ideal scenario of buying local.
When it comes to people in the NT trying to make warranty claims due to a faulty fan, we have heard some horror stories.
Firstly, most of these cheaper fans only have a one year warranty.
Secondly, these warranties also come with a string of limitations.
Usually, you need to make sure you complete the warranty form and submit it when you buy these fans (and not everybody remembers to do this).
Then, when it comes to making a claim, you’ll find that many of these cheaper fans will require you bearing the cost of returning the fan to the distributor to assess the problem.
This means the hidden cost of warranties with cheap fans actually include:
- The original installation of the ceiling fan.
- The cost for an electrician to remove the fan prior to you, as the client returning the fan to the place of purchase.
- Once a replacement has been organised the cost for an electrician to reinstall it.
In contrast, the best ceiling fans, especially ceiling fans with light and remote options, have much more comprehensive warranties.
Manufacturers of higher end ceiling fans, cover these associated costs.
This means that when you have a good warranty, once you have paid a tradesman to put up the fan, if something goes wrong you shouldn’t have to pay a tradesman again to take it down and replace it after issues occur.
These better warranties should cover all of those costs.
If you’d like to get your ceiling fan selections “done right”, contact us or take a look at our Ceiling Fans page.