Ah! Summer! The season of bright colours, long days and if you are Bryan Adams, the inspiration for a hit song. But summer is also the season of heat. Intense heat. In fact, I read somewhere that the average human foot can produce a half a cup of sweat each day and given that the figure quoted is the average, we have to assume some people produce enough to fill a small pool.
There are a handful of ways to beat the heat and the one of the most practical and cost effective of methods is the humble fan. We’ve done some research and found a few for summer.
Kenwood IF550 Stand Fan
Our first fan produces 75w (if you’re a petrol head this may be of relevance to you) and offers three speed settings. The fan is lightweight and the stand is adjustable, making it easy to move around the house. The fan requires some assembly but a detailed, easy-to-follow instruction book is included. To give you an idea of how easy this fan is to erect, even I managed to understand the manual. And I’m the kind of person who may try use a hammer to put in new light bulbs. The Kenwood IF550 retails for roughly R700 at numerous homeware stores around South Africa.
Russel Hobbs Mist Fan
In high school or varsity, guys try outdo each other with tales of drinking. Later on bragging rights are reserved for guys who drive the fastest cars. As you get older, you boast about gadgets. You will be the envy of the lift club parents with the Russel Hobbs Mist Fan. They will marvel at its humidifier, drool over its ability to blow a cooling mist and be blown away by its remote control function. Yes, your friends will be envious. And with a price tag of R1100 for a 40cm fan you might not want to show off too much, as you may need to borrow money from them one you’ve spent a wad of cash on a fan.
AEG Pedestal Fan
If budget is a concern then the AEG Pedestal Fan might just be the one for you. With an adjustable tilt and height and three speeds, you will keep cool at a relatively reasonable cost – these fans generally sell for under R500.
Ceiling fans
While pedestal fans have relatively similar features, ceiling fans come with more of a caveat. Prices differ wildly and their installation requires a few points to be considered: how high is the ceiling in the area in which the fan is to be installed? A low ceiling combined with a longer fixture is a recipe for a trip to the casualty ward. Then of course you would need to consider wiring – will the ceiling fan be replacing a current light fixture or will an electrician need to run new wiring? Weight can also be an issue and most contractors would recommend adding some form of support or placing the fan along support beams in the ceiling to carry the weight of the fan. Further complication is added by the array of designs available. You can find a fan to compliment the aesthetic of your home but it may come with a hefty price tag. Fans range from R400 to over R2500.
As a last resort, if you have no sense and too much money you could build a walk in freezer in your home and fill it with ice cream.
