Ceiling Fan Downrod Length Guide

Drop rod length the optimum mounting height for a ceiling fan is 8 to 9 feet above the floor with a minimum of 7 feet for safety.

Ceiling fan downrod length guide.

A good rule of thumb is. Ceiling fans with a standard mount are designed for rooms where the ceiling height is around nine feet. For safety reasons a ceiling fan should always hang at least 7 above the floor. Standard downrods usually come in 3 to 6 inches in length and is ideal for your basic rooms that have a 9 feet ceiling.

High and vaulted ceilings. The most common method used to find the right downrod length is to take the ceiling height subtract the height of the ceiling fan most fans are between 12 and 18 inches in height depending on the fan and then subtract the desired hanging height usually eight feet. How to calculate ceiling downrod length. On an 8 foot ceiling we recommend the standard pole which is a 3 4 inch downrod that comes with the fan.

The use of a ceiling fan downrod during installation ensures the appropriate hanging height of eight to nine feet from the floor. However some manufacturers will include a 6 inch downrod. The bigger the fan and or the steeper the slope the longer the downrod. See below to help calculate the ideal downrod length.

Downrod length by slope guide. The length of your downrod depends on the height of your ceiling. Fans will typically come with one or two downrods in different standard lengths. Ceiling height in feet minus 9 includes the fan height downrod length for example if your ceiling is 12 high you will need a 3 downrod to ensure the fan is positioned at the proper height.

A downrod ranges from 3 to 72 inches in length and is what suspends the fan from the canopy. These ones are usually designed for larger establishments such as restaurants hotels and other similar venues. Also for maximum air flow there should be at least 10 inches of air space between the blades and the ceiling. This is ideal because more space between the fan blades and the ceiling will result in better air circulation.

Of course there are specially made downrods that can measure up to 14 feet depending on the manufacturer. 9 ft ceiling 6 in downrod 10 ft ceiling 12 in downrod 12 ft ceiling 24 in downrod 14 ft ceiling 36 in downrod 16 ft ceiling 48 in downrod 18 ft ceiling 60 in downrod 20 ft ceiling 72 in downrod. Hunter fans are compatible with single threaded downrods while hunter original fans require a double threaded downrod. Most ceiling fan manufacturers include a short downrod in the box but to install a ceiling fan safely on a vaulted or cathedral ceiling you will need to have a total downrod length of at least 12 inches.

If your fan includes a 6 inch downrod we recommend it on a 9 foot ceiling.